title: Sodium fluoride induces apoptosis in the kidney of rats through caspase-mediated pathways and DNA damage.
abstract: Long-term excessive sodium fluoride (NaF) intake can cause many bone diseases and nonskeletal fluorosis. The kidneys are the primary organs involved in the excretion and retention of NaF. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of NaF treatment on renal cell apoptosis, DNA damage, and the protein expression levels of cytosolic cytochrome C (Cyt C) and cleaved caspases 9, 8, and 3 in vivo. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into four groups (control, low fluoride, medium fluoride, and high fluoride) and administered 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/L of NaF, respectively, via drinking water for 120 days. Histopathological changes in the kidneys were visualized using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Renal cell apoptosis was examined using flow cytometry, and renal cell DNA damage was detected using the comet assay. Cytosolic Cyt C and cleaved caspases 9, 8, and 3 protein expression levels were visualized using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The results showed that NaF treatment increased apoptosis and DNA damage. In addition, NaF treatment increased the protein expression levels of cytosolic Cyt C and cleaved caspases 9, 8, and 3. These results indicated that NaF induces apoptosis in the kidney of rats through caspase-mediated pathway, and DNA damage may be involved in this process.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Center, Shanxi Medical University, Road Xinjian 56, Taiyuan, 030001, China, ghsongg@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Guo Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ji Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Chun Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chao Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiao Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fu Bing
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D009050:Fluorosis, Dental / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012969:Sodium Fluoride; D045304:Cytochromes c; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; C505528:Casp8 protein, rat; C506435:Casp9 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9