title: Oxidative stress and apoptotic changes of rat cerebral cortical neurons exposed to cadmium in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the cytotoxic mechanism of cadmium (Cd) on cerebral cortical neurons.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary cultures of rat cerebral cortical neurons were treated with different concentrations of cadmium acetate (0, 5, 10, and 20 micromol/L), and then the cell viability, apoptosis, ultrastructure, intracellular [Ca2+], and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi), activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A progressive loss in cell viability and an increased number of apoptotic cells were observed. In addition, Cd-induced apoptotic morphological changes in cerebral cortical neurons were also demonstrated by Hoechst 33258 staining. Meanwhile, ultrastructural changes were distortion of mitochondrial cristae and an unusual arrangement. Simultaneously, elevation of intracellular [Ca2+]i and ROS levels, depletion of Delta Psi were revealed in a dose-dependent manner during the exposure. Moreover, CAT and SOD activities in the living cells increased significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure of cortical neurons to different doses of Cd led to cellular death, mediated by an apoptotic mechanism, and the apoptotic death induced by oxidative stress may be a potential reason. And the disorder of intracellular homeostasis caused by oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction may be a trigger for apoptosis in cortical neurons.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Jian Chun
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Liu Xue
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Zong Ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D002104:Cadmium