Experimental study on the chronic cadmium poisoning in relation to calcium deficiency

The association between renal dysfunction and osteopenia in environmental cadmium-exposed subjects

Two hundred and three cadmium (Cd)-exposed subjects with renal dysfunction and 80 non-exposed subjects were examined to reveal the relationship between Cd-induced renal dysfunction and osteopenia. As biological indicators of renal function, urinary beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-mg), and serum creatinine, calcium, and phosphorus were selected. Cd in the urine and blood was also measured. The results indicated that significant differences exist between both sexes in Cd-exposed as well as nonexposed subjects. To evaluate the degree of osteopenia, a microdensitometrical (MD) method was used. The relationships between biological parameters and each index of the MD method were analyzed using multivariate analysis. Age, urinary beta 2-mg, and serum creatinine were significantly associated with indices of osteopenia in Cd-exposed men. In contrast, age showed the most significant association with MD indices in women of both groups. However, urinary beta 2-mg was significantly associated with MD indices only in Cd-exposed women. In Cd-exposed subjects, after the number of predictor variables was increased, urinary beta 2-mg was also strongly associated with osteopenia. These results suggest a causal relationship between renal dysfunction and osteopenia in Cd-exposed subjects.

Cadmium effects on bone and dental tissues of rats in acute and subacute poisoning

Injection of cadmium chloride to rats fed by normal calcium diet induced distrubances of tibia and incisor hard tissues metabolism. It is suggested that there may be the possibility of direct cadmium actions on those hard tissues metabolisms.

Differential susceptibility of L cells in the exponential and stationary phases to cadmium chloride

Comparative studies of the cellular toxicity and uptake of cadmium in L cells in the exponential and stationary phases were done. The LD50 of cadmium chloride to L cells in the exponential and stationary phases was 5.5 and 30.5 muM respectively and the cadmium content of L cells exposed to 5.4 muM cadmium chloride for 3.5 hr in the exponential and stationary phases was 0.123 and 0.065 mug/10(6) cells, respectively. These results suggest that the higher susceptibility of cells in the exponential phase to cadmium may be caused by an increased permeability of the cell membrane to cadmium.