title: Oxidative stress and DNA damages induced by cadmium accumulation.
abstract: Experimental evidence shows that cadmium (Cd) could induce oxidative stress and then causes DNA damage in animal cells, however, whether such effect exists in plants is still unclear. In the present study, Vicia faba plants was exposed to 5 and 10 mg/L Cd for 4 d to investigate the distribution of Cd in plant, the metal effects on the cell lipids, antioxidative enzymes and DNA damages in leaves. Cd induced an increase in Cd concentrations in plants. An enhanced level of lipid peroxidation in leaves and an enhanced concentration of H2O2 in root tissues suggested that Cd caused oxidative stress in Vicia faba. Compared with control, Cd-induced enhancement in superoxide dismutase activity was more significant at 5 mg/L than at 10 mg/L in leaves, by contrast, catalase and peroxidase activities were significantly suppressed by Cd addition. DNA damage was detected by neutral/neutral, alkaline/neutral and alkaline/alkaline Comet assay. Increased levels of DNA damages induced by Cd occurred with reference to oxidative stress in leaves, therefore, oxidative stress induced by Cd accumulation in plants contributed to DNA damages and was likely an important mechanism of Cd-phytotoxicity in Vicia faba plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China. ajlin@126.com
authors.forename: Ai-Jun
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xu-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Mei-Mei
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D031307:Vicia faba / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D002734:Chlorophyll; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002374:Catalase; D009195:Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase