title: Effect of oral cadmium exposure during pregnancy on maternal and fetal zinc metabolism in the rat.
abstract: To study the effect of cadmium exposure on maternal and fetal zinc metabolism, rats were exposed to 0, 5, 50, or 100 ppm Cd in the drinking water on Days 6 through 20 of pregnancy. In comparison to controls, fetal and maternal weights were slightly reduced in the 50- and 100-ppm groups, but not the 5-ppm group. Multiple regression analysis revealed that in the 50-ppm group, but not in the 100-ppm group, the decrease in fetal weight was not solely a consequence of decreased maternal weight. Cd accumulated in a dose-dependent manner in both maternal organs and fetuses, although the absolute concentrations in fetuses were very low as compared to those of maternal tissues. In the 50- and 100-ppm groups, zinc concentrations were significantly increased in maternal liver and kidney, and significantly decreased in fetal liver. The changes in tissue Zn concentrations were accompanied by altered Zn-metalloenzyme activities in both maternal and fetal tissues. These findings support the hypothesis that Cd-induced maternal zinc retention is responsible for fetal Zn deprivation and impaired fetal growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Sorell
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Graziano
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity / Q000187:drug effects; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000187:drug effects*; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D002104:Cadmium; D006867:Hydrolases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase; D015032:Zinc