金屬硫蛋白 (Metallothionein, MT)在生理上重要的功能為調節細胞內金屬的恆定性和對抗氧化壓力，而近幾年很多研究指出MT可能參與能量代謝的生理活動，但是仍沒有明確的機制。在研究中我們使用能量代謝抑制劑NaNB3B和2-deoxyglucose (2DG)處理HEK293細胞使之處於能量缺乏的情況，發現MT基因的表現受到抑制，且NaNB3B和2DG因阻斷細胞內ATP的生成而促進能量監督者AMPK的活性。由於AMPK調控細胞中能量的平衡，包括參與代謝的蛋白質或基因，於是我們測試NaNB3B是否透過活化AMPK而抑制MT基因的表現，我們利用Dominant-negative AMPK (DN-AMPK)與AMPK siRNA抑制AMPK的活性，發現當AMPK的活性被減低後，MT基因表現被NaNB3B抑制的情形減緩，故推測NaNB3B透過活化AMPK來調控MT基因的表現。當細胞遭受能量低迷的時候，活化的AMPK會藉由磷酸化受質來調控下游的代謝途徑與基因的表現，以維持細胞中的能量平衡，於是我們測試了與代謝有關的c-Myc和AMPK的受質Forkhead box O3 (FOXO3)是否參與在NaNB3B抑制MT基因表現的途徑中，結果顯示c-Myc和FOXO3均可能會影響MT基因表現，但不參與在NaNB3B活化AMPK而抑制MT基因表現的途徑。

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