title: Effect of cadmium on some enzyme activities in first-trimester human placentae.
abstract: Explants from first-trimester placentae obtained from non-smoking women were incubated with doses of 0, 0.75, 1.5, 3, 6 and 12 micrograms of cadmium (Cd) as CdCl2 for 6 or 24 h. At the end of the incubation period, the activities of placental aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) (a phase I enzyme), quinone reductase (QR) and catecholamine-O-methyltransferase (COMT) (both phase II enzymes) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) were determined. Cd at low dose levels increased significantly the activities of placental phases I and II enzymes in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Of the first 3 enzymes, only AHH showed a biphasic response for the two time periods, with the activities of QR and COMT continually increasing at all the dose levels tested for the two incubation periods. However, the G-6-PD activity was inhibited at all the dose levels of Cd, the effect being very drastic after exposure to 0.75 ppm Cd for both incubation periods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Technion--Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa.
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Boadi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Urbach
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brandes
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yannai
mesh_terms: D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D046508:Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase