The present study confirms and extends the role of MTF-1 as an important stress response regulator. We have identified and preliminarily characterized four target genes of MTF-1 in the adult mouse liver: in the case of Sepw1, MTF-1 is required to maintain basal expression, supporting a role of mouse MTF-1 in oxidative stress response. In addition, MTF-1 contributes to the cadmium-induced expression of Ndrg1 and Csrp1. Furthermore, MTF-1 helps to repress the basal expression of Slc39a10, in contrast to its role as transcriptional activator for genes like Mt1, Mt2 or Znt1. Thus the same transcription factor apparently serves as an activator or repressor, depending on the target gene.