In-Silico Characterization of Human Metallothionein (MT-1E) and Its Role in Prevention and Therapy of Bladder Cancer with Dietary Agents

Metallothioneins (MT) are a group of low-molecular weight, cysteine rich intracellular proteins, which are encoded by a family of genes containing at least 10 functional isoforms in human. This includes MT-I, MT-II, MT-III and MT-IV. The expression and induction of these proteins have been associated with protection against DNA damage, oxidative stress and apoptosis. A number of studies have shown an increased expression of MT in various human tumors of the breast, colon, kidney, liver, lung, nasopharynx, ovary, prostate, salivary gland, testes, thyroid and urinary bladder. In the current study, an effort has been made to characterize MT-1E protein isoform in humans structurally and functionally through in-silico approaches. The study is extended to comprehend the effect of dietary agents found in fruits and vegetables that can keep a check on bladder cancer. The finding shows that dietary agent silybinin (Silybummarianum L.) and catechin (Camellia sinensis) provided insights in checking bladder cancer.