Cadmium impact and osteoporosis: mechanism of action.
BACKGROUND
Cadmium (Cd) is a widespread environmental pollutant that is associated with increased risk of osteoporosis. It has been proposed that Cd's toxic effect on bone is exerted via impaired activation of vitamin D, secondary to the kidney effects.


OBJECTIVE
The present study was designed to investigate the damaging impact of Cd in drinking water on bone from biochemical and histopathological point of view.


METHODS
This study was conducted on 30, 3-months-old female Sprague Dawley rats exposed to cadmium chloride in a dose of 50 mg Cd/L in drinking water for 3 months. Serum was taken for determination of calcium, phosphorous levels, parathyroid hormone, 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D(3), osteocalcin (OC) and bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) activity.


RESULTS
The result revealed that Cd administration induces significant increase in serum calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in concomitant with significant reduction in serum vitamin D(3), osteocalcin (OC) levels and bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) activity.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study provided clear evidence that long-term exposure to cadmium chloride produced marked abnormalities in bone biomarkers and increasing risk of fracture.
Department of Medical Biochemistry-National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt. hoctober2000@yahoo.com
Eman R
ER
Youness
Nadia A
NA
Mohammed
Fatma A
FA
Morsy
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000097:blood; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency; D004032:Diet; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D015675:Osteocalcin; D010758:Phosphorus; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002117:Calcitriol; D019256:Cadmium Chloride; D002118:Calcium