Effects of subchronic digestive exposure to organic or inorganic cadmium on biomarkers in rat tissues.
In an experimental food chain, Wistar rats were fed cadmium (Cd) in an inorganic (CdCl(2)) or organic (mainly associated with metallothionein from Helix aspersa snail viscera) form. After 1 month of exposure to 100 microg inorganic Cd g(-1) in food, an induction of metallothionein was observed in all target tissues. In liver, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity decreased and alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) activity increased, suggesting that Cd causes hepatotoxicity. However, lipid peroxidation as well as catalase and caspase 3 (a marker of apoptosis) activities were not modified. At a rather low exposure (2.5 microg Cd g(-1)), metallothionein level in the kidney was found to be the most sensitive biomarker of exposure for both Cd forms. In the small intestine of rats ingesting inorganic Cd, metallothionein expression was significantly higher than that observed for rats fed organic Cd. Present results allowed proposing a simple design to assess the effect of a chemical in a trophic transfer approach.
Hispard
F
F
Department of Environmental Biology, University of Franche-Comté, EA 3184 aff. INRA, Place Leclerc, 25030 Besançon cedex, France.
de Vaufleury
A
A
Martin
H
H
Devaux
S
S
Cosson
R P
RP
Scheifler
R
R
Richert
L
L
Berthelot
A
A
Badot
P-M
PM
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D020387:Food Chain; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012908:Snails; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D008668:Metallothionein; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D053148:Caspase 3