title: Increase in number of Weibel-Palade bodies and endothelin-1 release from endothelial cells in the cadmium-treated rat thoracic aorta.
abstract: Male rats received daily intraperitoneal injections of cadmium sulphate (2.0 mg/kg) for 3 (Cd-3 group), 6 (Cd-6 group) and 8 days (Cd-8 group). The blood samples were prepared for endothelin (ET)-1 assay, and the thoracic aorta was investigated by both electron microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy using anti ET-1 sera. The plasma ET-1 concentrations of both Cd-6 and Cd-8 groups increased significantly in a cumulative dose-dependent manner. The cadmium-treated rat aorta showed an increase in the number of Weibel-Palade (WP) bodies in endothelial cells, and degranulation and exocytosis of WP bodies occurred exclusively in the Cd-8 group. Immunoreaction for ET-1 was localized preferentially in WP bodies of both cadmium-treated and control groups, and in the rough endoplasmic reticulum of the cadmium-treated groups only. Reactivity was also found on the WP bodies undergoing exocytosis in the Cd-8 group. Cadmium intoxication induces an increase in number of ET-1-storing WP bodies in the rat aorta endothelium. The enhancement of extracellular release of their contents by exocytosis results in elevation of the plasma ET-1 concentration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozaka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukushige
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshizuka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002104:Cadmium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D051381:Rats; D013431:Sulfates
chemical_list: D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D016232:Endothelins; D013431:Sulfates; D002104:Cadmium; C037123:cadmium sulfate