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McCauley N, Lawless L, Basra M, DePadova N, Loyola XA, Zhou H, Ko G, Zhang K, Xie L. In ovo exposure to cadmium causes right ventricle hyperplasia due to cell proliferation of cardiomyocytes. Toxicol Lett 2022; 366:1-6. [PMID: 35753640 PMCID: PMC10042311 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2022.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental and occupational pollutant inhaled through smoking or ingested through contaminated food. Yet, little is known about its teratogenicity. In this study, the effects of Cd on embryonic heart development were investigated by exposing Cd to chicken embryos in ovo. Fertilized eggs were treated with Cd at Hamburger-Hamilton Stage (HH)16 and collected at HH35 for histological evaluation of the heart. Cd treatment of 100μM at HH16 increased embryo mortality at HH35. Specific structural heart defects were not observed in any Cd treatment group, but the relative myocardial tissue area of the right ventricle was increased with Cd exposure. When the HH31 hearts were stained with p-H3S10, the right ventricle had an increased number of cells undergoing proliferation, which was associated with upregulation of Cdk1, Cdk6, CycA, CycD, and CycE detected by qPCR. These findings suggest that Cd exposure from HH16 upregulates proliferation genes and drives overgrowth of the right ventricle. These results grant further attention to Cd teratogenicity on embryonic heart development. Such morphological changes in the heart can potentially affect cardiac function and increase the risk for future cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi McCauley
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Lauren Lawless
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Mahi Basra
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Nicole DePadova
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | | | - Huijuan Zhou
- Department of Statistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Gladys Ko
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX; Center for Epigenetics & Disease Prevention, Institute of Biosciences & Technology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX.
| | - Linglin Xie
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
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Cowell W, Colicino E, Tanner E, Amarasiriwardena C, Andra SS, Bollati V, Kannan S, Ganguri H, Gennings C, Wright RO, Wright RJ. Prenatal toxic metal mixture exposure and newborn telomere length: Modification by maternal antioxidant intake. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 190:110009. [PMID: 32777275 PMCID: PMC7530067 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomere length (TL) predicts the onset of cellular senescence and correlates with longevity and age-related disease risk. While telomeres erode throughout life, adults display fixed ranking and tracking of TL, supporting the importance of the early environment in determining inter-individual variability across the life course. Given their guanine-rich structure, telomeres are highly susceptible to oxidative stress (OS). We examined maternal metal exposure, which can induce OS, in relation to newborn TL. We also considered the modifying role of maternal antioxidant intake. METHODS Analyses included 100 mother-newborn pairs enrolled in the Boston and New York City-based PRogramming of Intergenerational Stress Mechanisms (PRISM) pregnancy cohort. We measured As, Ba, Cd, Ni, and Pb in maternal late-pregnancy urine by ICP-MS and quantified relative leukocyte TL (rLTL) in cord blood using qPCR. We used Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression to estimate the metal mixture - rLTL association and conducted repeated holdout validation to improve the stability of estimates across data partitions. We examined models stratified by high (>median) versus low (≤median) maternal antioxidant intake, estimated from Block98 Food Frequency Questionnaires. We considered urinary creatinine, week of urine collection, maternal age, and race/ethnicity as covariates. RESULTS In adjusted models, urinary metals were inversely associated with newborn rLTL (βWQS = -0.50, 95% CI: -0.78, -0.21). The top metals contributing to the negative association included Ba (weight: 35.4%), Cd (24.5%) and Pb (26.9%). In models stratified by antioxidant intake, the significant inverse association between metals and rLTL remained only among mothers with low antioxidant intake (low: βWQS = -0.92, 95% CI: -1.53, -0.30; high: βWQS = -0.03, 95% CI: -0.58, 0.52). Results were similar in unadjusted models. CONCLUSIONS Relative LTL was shorter among newborns of mothers with higher exposure to metals during pregnancy. Higher maternal antioxidant intake may mitigate the negative influence of metals on newborn rLTL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney Cowell
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Elena Colicino
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eva Tanner
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chitra Amarasiriwardena
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Syam S Andra
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Srimathi Kannan
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Harish Ganguri
- Department of Information Systems Security, University of Cumberlands, Williamsburg, KY, USA
| | - Chris Gennings
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rosalind J Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Intrauterine Exposure to Cadmium Reduces HIF-1 DNA-Binding Ability in Rat Fetal Kidneys. TOXICS 2018; 6:toxics6030053. [PMID: 30177602 PMCID: PMC6161213 DOI: 10.3390/toxics6030053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
During embryonic development, some hypoxia occurs due to incipient vascularization. Under hypoxic conditions, gene expression is mainly controlled by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). The activity of this transcription factor can be altered by the exposure to a variety of compounds; among them is cadmium (Cd), a nephrotoxic heavy metal capable of crossing the placenta and reaching fetal kidneys. The goal of the study was to determine Cd effects on HIF-1 on embryonic kidneys. Pregnant Wistar rats were exposed to a mist of isotonic saline solution or CdCl₂ (DDel = 1.48 mg Cd/kg/day), from gestational day (GD) 8 to 20. Embryonic kidneys were obtained on GD 21 for RNA and protein extraction. Results show that Cd exposure had no effect on HIF-1α and prolyl hydroxylase 2 protein levels, but it reduced HIF-1 DNA-binding ability, which was confirmed by a decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA levels. In contrast, the protein levels of VEGF were not changed, which suggests the activation of additional regulatory mechanisms of VEGF protein expression to ensure proper kidney development. In conclusion, Cd exposure decreases HIF-1-binding activity, posing a risk on renal fetal development.
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Kim MS, Kim SH, Jeon D, Kim HY, Han JY, Kim B, Lee K. Low-dose cadmium exposure exacerbates polyhexamethylene guanidine-induced lung fibrosis in mice. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2018; 81:384-396. [PMID: 29590002 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2018.1451177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal present in tobacco smoke, air, food, and water. Inhalation is an important route of Cd exposure, and lungs are one of the main target organs for metal-induced toxicity. Cd inhalation is associated with an increased risk of pulmonary diseases. The present study aimed to assess the effects of repeated exposure to low-dose Cd in a mouse model of polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG)-induced lung fibrosis. Mice were grouped into the following groups: vehicle control (VC), PHMG, cadmium chloride (CdCl2), and PHMG + CdCl2. Animals in the PHMG group exhibited increased numbers of total cells and inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) accompanied by inflammation and fibrosis in lung tissues. These parameters were exacerbated in mice in the PHMG + CdCl2 group. In contrast, mice in the CdCl2 group alone displayed only minimal inflammation in pulmonary tissue. Expression of inflammatory cytokines and fibrogenic mediators was significantly elevated in lungs of mice in the PHMG group compared with that VC. Further, expression of these cytokines and mediators was enhanced in pulmonary tissue in mice administered PHMG + CdCl2. Data demonstrate that repeated exposure to low-dose Cd may enhance the development of PHMG-induced pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Seok Kim
- a National Center for Efficacy Evaluation of Respiratory Disease Product , Korea Institute of Toxicology , Jeongeup-si , Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hwan Kim
- a National Center for Efficacy Evaluation of Respiratory Disease Product , Korea Institute of Toxicology , Jeongeup-si , Republic of Korea
- b Department of Human and Environmental Toxicology , University of Science & Technology , Daejeon , Republic of Korea
| | - Doin Jeon
- a National Center for Efficacy Evaluation of Respiratory Disease Product , Korea Institute of Toxicology , Jeongeup-si , Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon-Young Kim
- a National Center for Efficacy Evaluation of Respiratory Disease Product , Korea Institute of Toxicology , Jeongeup-si , Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Young Han
- a National Center for Efficacy Evaluation of Respiratory Disease Product , Korea Institute of Toxicology , Jeongeup-si , Republic of Korea
| | - Bumseok Kim
- c Biosafety Research Institute and Laboratory of Pathology (BK21 Plus Program) , College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University , Iksan , Republic of Korea
| | - Kyuhong Lee
- a National Center for Efficacy Evaluation of Respiratory Disease Product , Korea Institute of Toxicology , Jeongeup-si , Republic of Korea
- b Department of Human and Environmental Toxicology , University of Science & Technology , Daejeon , Republic of Korea
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Jacobo-Estrada T, Santoyo-Sánchez M, Thévenod F, Barbier O. Cadmium Handling, Toxicity and Molecular Targets Involved during Pregnancy: Lessons from Experimental Models. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18071590. [PMID: 28737682 PMCID: PMC5536077 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18071590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Even decades after the discovery of Cadmium (Cd) toxicity, research on this heavy metal is still a hot topic in scientific literature: as we wrote this review, more than 1440 scientific articles had been published and listed by the PubMed.gov website during 2017. Cadmium is one of the most common and harmful heavy metals present in our environment. Since pregnancy is a very particular physiological condition that could impact and modify essential pathways involved in the handling of Cd, the prenatal life is a critical stage for exposure to this non-essential element. To give the reader an overview of the possible mechanisms involved in the multiple organ toxic effects in fetuses after the exposure to Cd during pregnancy, we decided to compile some of the most relevant experimental studies performed in experimental models and to summarize the advances in this field such as the Cd distribution and the factors that could alter it (diet, binding-proteins and membrane transporters), the Cd-induced toxicity in dams (preeclampsia, fertility, kidney injury, alteration in essential element homeostasis and bone mineralization), in placenta and in fetus (teratogenicity, central nervous system, liver and kidney).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Jacobo-Estrada
- Departamento de Sociedad y Política Ambiental, CIIEMAD, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 30 de Junio de 1520 s/n, La Laguna Ticomán, Ciudad de México 07340, Mexico.
| | - Mitzi Santoyo-Sánchez
- Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Gustavo A. Madero, San Pedro Zacatenco, Ciudad de México 07360, Mexico.
| | - Frank Thévenod
- Department of Physiology, Pathophysiology & Toxicology and ZBAF (Centre for Biomedical Education and Research), Faculty of Health-School of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str 12 (Thyssenhaus), D 58453 Witten, Germany.
| | - Olivier Barbier
- Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Gustavo A. Madero, San Pedro Zacatenco, Ciudad de México 07360, Mexico.
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Jacobo-Estrada T, Cardenas-Gonzalez M, Santoyo-Sánchez M, Parada-Cruz B, Uria-Galicia E, Arreola-Mendoza L, Barbier O. Evaluation of kidney injury biomarkers in rat amniotic fluid after gestational exposure to cadmium. J Appl Toxicol 2016; 36:1183-93. [PMID: 26815315 DOI: 10.1002/jat.3286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Revised: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cadmium is a well-characterized nephrotoxic agent that is also capable of accumulating and diffusing across the placenta; however, only a few studies have addressed its effects over fetal kidneys and none of them has used a panel of sensitive and specific biomarkers for the detection of kidney injury. The goal of this study was to determine cadmium renal effects in rat fetuses by the quantification of early kidney injury biomarkers. Pregnant Wistar rats were exposed by inhalation to an isotonic saline solution or to CdCl2 solution (DDel =1.48 mg Cd kg(-1) day(-1) ) during gestational days (GD) 8-20. On GD 21, dams were euthanized and samples obtained. Kidney injury biomarkers were quantified in amniotic fluid samples and fetal kidneys were microscopically evaluated to search for histological alterations. Our results showed that cadmium exposure significantly raised albumin, osteopontin, vascular endothelial growth factor and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 levels in amniotic fluid, whereas it decreased creatinine. Clusterin, calbindin and IFN-inducible protein 10 did not show any change. Accordingly, histological findings showed tubular damage and precipitations in the renal pelvis. In conclusion, gestational exposure to cadmium induces structural alterations in fetal renal tissue that can be detected by some kidney injury biomarkers in amniotic fluid samples. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Jacobo-Estrada
- Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, CP 07360, México, D.F., México
| | - Mariana Cardenas-Gonzalez
- Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, CP 07360, México, D.F., México
| | - Mitzi Santoyo-Sánchez
- Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, CP 07360, México, D.F., México
| | - Benjamín Parada-Cruz
- Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, CP 07360, México, D.F., México
| | - Esther Uria-Galicia
- Departamento de Morfología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Col. Santo Tomas, CP 11340, México, D.F., México
| | - Laura Arreola-Mendoza
- Departamento de Biociencias e Ingeniería, Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 30 de Junio de 1520 s/n, Col. Barrio la Laguna Ticomán, CP 07340, México, D.F., México
| | - Olivier Barbier
- Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, CP 07360, México, D.F., México
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Kummu M, Sieppi E, Wallin K, Rautio A, Vähäkangas K, Myllynen P. Cadmium inhibits ABCG2 transporter function in BeWo choriocarcinoma cells and MCF-7 cells overexpressing ABCG2. Placenta 2012; 33:859-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2012.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2012] [Revised: 07/13/2012] [Accepted: 07/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Hou YP, Gu JY, Shao YF, Song YF, Jing YH, Wu WS, Pu S. The characteristics of placental transfer and tissue concentrations of nickel in late gestational rats and fetuses. Placenta 2011; 32:277-82. [PMID: 21216460 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2010.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2010] [Revised: 12/15/2010] [Accepted: 12/16/2010] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The dynamics of nickel (Ni) uptake, transfer, retention and clearance in fetuses and late gestational rats were investigated by assessing its distributions in placenta, maternal and fetal organs and tissues during the 24 h period after a single dose of (63)Ni intraperitoneal injection on gestational day 20. Peak (63)Ni radioactivity was detected at 0.5 h in maternal blood, at 3 h in placenta, fetal membranes, fetal blood, fetal heart, maternal kidney, lung, stomach, liver and brain, at 9 h in fetal kidney, stomach, liver and brain, and lastly at 24 h in fetal lung and amniotic fluid. The maximal (63)Ni radioactivity among all samples was detected consistently in the fetal membranes and placenta. The (63)Ni radioactivity in fetal blood was higher than that in maternal blood from 3 to 24 h. The fetal liver, heart, stomach and brain exhibited higher (63)Ni radioactivity than the corresponding maternal organs from 6 to 24 h. However, maternal kidney consistently exhibited significantly higher (63)Ni radioactivity than the fetal kidney. The (63)Ni in fetal lung and amniotic fluid increased throughout the period of experimental observation. These observations corroborated previous finding that nickel is actively transferred across the blood-placenta-barrier into fetus, but hardly from fetus to mother. Moreover, these results suggest that the placenta has a high affinity for nickel and its barrier does not protect the fetus from nickel exposure. The fact that nickel concentrations are higher in most fetal organs and tissues than in corresponding maternal organs and tissues in late gestation indicates that, unlike the dam, fetuses lack effective means for getting rid of excessive nickel due to its confined environment and relatively weak kidney functions. The situation is exacerbated by mother-to-fetus unidirectional transfer. Consequently, the fetuses are particularly vulnerable to the damaging effects of nickel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y-P Hou
- Department of Neuroscience, Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
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Haberstroh KMW, Kapron CM. Activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase by cadmium in mouse embryo neural cells in vitro. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2006; 22:1-7. [PMID: 21783678 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2005.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2004] [Accepted: 10/24/2005] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Members of the c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) signalling pathway have been found to be stimulated by a variety of stresses, including heavy metals, hyperthermia, and UV-irradiation. In the present study, we examined whether exposure of micromass cultures of mouse embryonic midbrain cells to a known teratogen, cadmium, leads to the phosphorylation and activation of JNK. Midbrain cells exposed to 0.5, 1, 2, or 4μM cadmium chloride (CdCl(2)) showed a dose-dependent decline in cell numbers, cell viability and differentiation after 5 days. In cells exposed to 4μM CdCl(2) for up to 1h, the level of phosphorylated JNK increased by 15min and peaked at 30min exposure time, as determined by a phospho-specific anti-JNK antibody, while the total amount of JNK protein did not change. This phosphorylated JNK was active, as shown by a corresponding increase in the level of c-Jun phosphorylated on Ser63 in a kinase assay. These results demonstrate that CdCl(2) induces a rapid and transient activation of the JNK pathway in primary embryonic neuron cell cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine M W Haberstroh
- Department of Biology and Watershed Ecosystems Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ont., Canada K9J 7B8
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Kuriwaki JI, Nishijo M, Honda R, Tawara K, Nakagawa H, Hori E, Nishijo H. Effects of cadmium exposure during pregnancy on trace elements in fetal rat liver and kidney. Toxicol Lett 2005; 156:369-76. [PMID: 15763636 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2004.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2004] [Revised: 12/25/2004] [Accepted: 12/27/2004] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Female rats were exposed by intragastric administration with a cannula 1mg/kg/day or 10mg/kg/day CdCl2 for the 11 days from the 9th to 19th day of pregnancy, and the effects of Cd exposure on eight elements, Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe, Zn, and Cu in fetal liver, kidney, brain, fetal membrane and placenta then examined. We found that: (1) although Cd was not detected in fetal kidney and brain, significant Cd accumulation was found in fetal liver, fetal membrane and placenta in the 10 mg/kg Cd group, (2) the Zn and Fe concentrations in fetal liver in the 10 mg/kg Cd group were significantly lower than those in the control group, but no difference was found in the placenta, (3) the Cu concentrations in the placenta, fetal membrane and liver in the 10 mg Cd groups were significantly lower than those in the control group, (4) Na/K ratio in the placenta and fetal kidney and the Ca concentration in the placenta in the 10 mg/kg Cd group were lower than those in the controls. These results suggest that Cd exposure inhibits Zn and Fe transportation from the placenta to fetus, as well as Cu, Ca, Na and K uptake and transportation across the placenta, possibly influencing fetal growth and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-ichi Kuriwaki
- Department of Public Health, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan
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Henson MC, Chedrese PJ. Endocrine disruption by cadmium, a common environmental toxicant with paradoxical effects on reproduction. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2004; 229:383-92. [PMID: 15096650 DOI: 10.1177/153537020422900506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 280] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd(2+)) is a common environmental pollutant and a major constituent of tobacco smoke. Exposure to this heavy metal, which has no known beneficial physiological role, has been linked to a wide range of detrimental effects on mammalian reproduction. Intriguingly, depending on the identity of the steroidogenic tissue involved and the dosage used, it has been reported to either enhance or inhibit the biosynthesis of progesterone, a hormone that is inexorably linked to both normal ovarian cyclicity and the maintenance of pregnancy. Thus, Cd(2+) has been shown to exert significant effects on ovarian and reproductive tract morphology, with extremely low dosages reported to stimulate ovarian luteal progesterone biosynthesis and high dosages inhibiting it. In addition, Cd(2+) exposure during human pregnancy has been linked to decreased birth weights and premature birth, with the enhanced levels of placental Cd(2+) resulting from maternal exposure to industrial wastes or tobacco smoke being associated with decreased progesterone biosynthesis by the placental trophoblast. The stimulatory effects of Cd(2+) on ovarian progesterone synthesis, as revealed by the results of studies using stable porcine granulosa cells, appear centered on the enhanced conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone by the cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage (P450scc). However, in the placenta, the Cd(2+)-induced decline in progesterone synthesis is commensurate with a decrease in P450scc. Additionally, placental low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) mRNA declines in response to Cd(2+) exposure, suggesting an inhibition in the pathway that provides cholesterol precursor from the maternal peripheral circulation. Potential mechanisms by which Cd(2+) may affect steroidogenesis include interference with the DNA binding zinc (Zn(2+))-finger motif through the substitution of Cd(2+) for Zn(2+) or by taking on the role of an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) that could mimic or inhibit the actions of endogenous estrogens. Divergent, tissue-specific (ovary vs. placenta) effects of Cd(2+) also cannot be ruled out. Therefore, in consideration of the data currently available and in light of the potentially serious consequences of environmental Cd(2+) exposure to human reproduction, we propose that priority should be given to studies dedicated to further elucidating the mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Henson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Interdisciplinary Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA.
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