title: Effects of cadmium chloride on the cultured human lens epithelial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate cadmium chloride cytotoxicity in human lens epithelial cells as well as the mode of cell death and its mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cultured human lens epithelial cells were challenged with cadmium chloride. Morphological changes of human lens epithelial cells caused by cadmium chloride exposure were evaluated by microscope. Cell viability was evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-dipheny tetrazolium bromice (MTT) assay. To explore the mechanism of cell death, p53 and caspase-8 levels were measured by western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microscopic examination indicated that cell death increased after cadmium chloride exposure compared to untreated cells. The MTT assay demonstrated that cadmium chloride significantly decreased cell viability in a dose dependent way. Western blot and quantitative analysis showed that both p53 and caspase-8 increased after cell exposure to cadmium chloride. p53 increased 210% and caspase-8 increased 30% in the experimental group as compared with the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cadmium chloride induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in human lens epithelial cells and the mechanism of apoptosis involve an increased expression of p53 and caspase-8.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalomology, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nang-Hee
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jae-Woong
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Koh
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D053181:Caspase 8; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D019256:Cadmium Chloride