Cadmium exerts toxic effects on ovarian steroid hormone release in rats.
This study examined the toxic effects of cadmium on the function of sexual hormone release in the ovaries of rats and the mechanism of this dysregulation. In vivo, adult female rats were randomly assigned to four groups based on weight. Cadmium was given ip 5 days/week for 6 weeks at doses of 1.0, 0.5, 0.25 and 0mg/kg. Following euthanasia, the ovaries were removed and placed into culture medium for 3h. The levels of progesterone (P) and estadiol (E) in the culture medium were then measured by radioimmunoassay. In vitro studies were done using the ovaries of adult rats in different stages of estrous (proestrus, estrus, metestrus and diestrus). Individual ovaries were collected, placed into culture medium and exposed to 0, 0.1, 1, or 2mM of CdCl(2) for 3h, at which time the levels of P and E in the ovary culture serum were determined by radioimmunoassay. The in vivo results showed that the levels of P and E in the ovary culture serum (5.3+/-1.4 ng/ml and 1.4+/-0.4 pg/ml, respectively) decreased significantly in the high dose group compared to the control (9.2+/-0.9 ng/ml and 3.9+/-0.7 pg/ml, respectively). In vitro, there were significant differences in P and E in between the different concentrations of cadmium and also between the different stages of the estrous cycle. These data suggest that cadmium can inhibit P and E release in ovaries. This may represent an important mechanism of endocrine disruption.
Zhang
Wenchang
W
Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China. Wenchang58@126.com
Pang
Fen
F
Huang
Yaqing
Y
Yan
Ping
P
Lin
Wei
W
D000818:Animals; D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019256:Cadmium Chloride