title: The environmental pollutant cadmium induces homeostasis alteration in muscle cells in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal widely distributed throughout the environment as a result of contamination from a variety of sources. It exerts toxic effects in many tissues but scarce data are present as yet on potential effects on skeletal muscle tissue.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the potential alteration induced by Cd in skeletal muscle cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  C2C12 skeletal muscle cells were treated with Cd at different times of cellular differentiation and gene expression was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure to Cd decreased significantly p21 mRNA expression and strongly up-regulated cyclin D1 mRNA expression in committed cells and in differentiated myotubes. Moreover, myogenin, fast MyHC-IIb and slow MyHC-I mRNAs expression were also significantly decreased both in committed cells and in myotubes. Moreover, Cd exposure induced a strong increase of Pax3, Pax7 and Myf5 mRNAs expression and stimulated an up-regulation of IL6 and TNF-α proinflammatory cytokines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data lead to hypothesize that environmental Cd exposure might trigger an injury-like event in muscle tissue, possibly by an estrogen receptor-mediated mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Section of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Piazza L. de Bosis 15, 00135, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wannenes
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crescioli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caporossi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Migliaccio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Luigi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium