title: Inhibition of cadmium-induced oxidative injury in rat primary astrocytes by the addition of antioxidants and the reduction of intracellular calcium.
abstract: Exposure of the brain to cadmium ions (Cd(2+)) is believed to lead to neurological disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that astrocytes, the major CNS-supporting cells, are resistant to Cd(2+)-induced injury compared with cortical neurons and microglia (CNS macrophages). However, treatment with CdCl(2) for 24 h at concentrations higher than 20 microM substantially induced astrocytic cytotoxicity, which also resulted from long-term exposure to 5 microM of CdCl(2). Intracellular calcium levels were found to rapidly increase after the addition of CdCl(2) into astrocytes, which led to a rise in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and to mitochondrial impairment. In accordance, preexposure to the extracellular calcium chelator EGTA effectively reduced ROS production and increased survival of Cd(2+)-treated astrocytes. Adenovirus-mediated transfer of superoxide dismutase (SOD) or glutathione peroxidase (GPx) genes increased survival of Cd(2+)-exposed astrocytes. In addition, increased ROS generation and astrocytic cell death due to Cd(2+) exposure was inhibited when astrocytes were treated with the polyphenolic compound ellagic acid (EA). Taken together, Cd(2+)-induced astrocytic cell death resulted from disrupted calcium homeostasis and an increase in ROS. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that enhancement of the activity of intracellular antioxidant enzymes and supplementation with a phenolic compound, a natural antioxidant, improves survival of Cd(2+)-primed astrocytes. This information provides a useful approach for treating Cd(2+)-induced CNS neurological disorders.
authors.affiliation: Center for Nanomedicine Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chung-Shi
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Bo-Cheng
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Tzou
authors.forename: Yu-Peng
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: May-Jywan
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Song-Kun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Shyue
authors.forename: Shun-Fen
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Tzeng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D019256:Cadmium Chloride; D002118:Calcium