title: Preneoplastic and neoplastic changes in the Leydig cells population in mice exposed to low doses of cadmium.
abstract: The morphological consequences of chronic exposition to low doses of cadmium (Cd) in the Leydig cells population were investigated in 40 sexually mature male mice at morphological and ultrastructural levels. Animals were orally exposed to cadmium (0.015 g/L of CdCl(2) in drinking water) for 3, 6, 12 and 18 months and then sacrificed, samples were collected for toxicological, light and electron microscope studies. Vascular lesions were evident from 6 months of Cd exposure, the severity of the morphological changes observed in the testicular vases were highly and clearly correlated to the time of exposure to Cd. The severity of the Leydig cells morphological changes were increasing along the time of exposure. Presence of cytoplasm vacuolization and degenerative images of the cells were frequent after 12 months of Cd exposure. Also two Leydig cells tumours after 12 and 18 months Cd exposure were presented. These results indicate that prolonged exposures to low doses of Cd are able to induce morphological damage on the Leydig cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Anatomy and Pathological Anatomy, Veterinary Faculty, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moyano
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Molina López
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Rafaela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flores-Acuña
authors.forename: Jose R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: García-Flores
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Espada
authors.forename: Jose G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Monterde
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D015197:Carcinogenicity Tests; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007984:Leydig Cell Tumor / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D002104:Cadmium