title: Zinc improves the immune function and the proliferation of lymphocytes in Cadmium-treated rats.
abstract: The effects of Cadmium (Cd) exposure and the treatment with Zinc (Zn) on immune functions of splenocytes and cultured lymphocytes of rats were studied. The exposure of rats to Cd was at a dose of 2.2 mg/kg CdCl2, injected subcutaneously four times weekly for 2 months. Rats were supplemented with Zn (2.2 mg/kg ZnCl2, injected subcutaneously four times weekly for 2 months) one hour prior to Cd exposure. Spleens were removed and splenocytes were isolated and cultured. The proliferation capacity of lymphocytes and their homing to the spleen were studied. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted from stimulated lymphocytes in order to analyse gene expressions using RT-PCR. Accordingly, proliferation of lymphocytes was found to be suppressed in Cd-treated rats, both in vivo and in vitro. Zinc served to activate the proliferation of B and T lymphocytes in Cd-treated rats both in vivo and in vitro. Antigen-activated lymphocytes showed that Cd impaired the mRNA expression of CD68, Ccl22 and CXCL10. Zinc was not found to restore mRNA expression of these genes to the normal levels. Zinc was found to decrease the MDA level with replenishment of activity of key antioxidant enzymes and proteins in Cd-pre-treated animals significantly. Moreover, the histopathological examination of spleen samples also agreed with the molecular, immunological and redox findings. Hence, Zn is able to restore the normal structure, redox status and immunity in Cd-induced damage in the rat model system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, El-Minia University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hossam
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebaid
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Iftekhar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bashandy
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nael Abu
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Amer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Suliman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alomar
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Iibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alhazza
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, El-Minia University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mashaly
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rady
keywords: Cadmium; Zinc; chemokines; lymphocyte subsets; oxidative stress