title: Histological changes, apoptosis and metallothionein levels in Triturus carnifex (Amphibia, Urodela) exposed to environmental cadmium concentrations.
abstract: The aim of this study was to verify if the freshwater safety values established from the European Community (1998) and the Italian Ministry of Health (2001) for cadmium (44.5nM/L in drinking water and 178nM/L in sewage waters) were safe for amphibians, since at these same concentrations cadmium induced endocrine disruption in the newt Triturus carnifex. Adult male specimens of T. carnifex were exposed daily to cadmium (44.5nM/L and 178nM/L as CdCl2, nominal concentrations), respectively, during 3- and 9-months; at the same time, control newts were exposed to tap water only. The accumulation of cadmium in the skin, liver and kidney, the levels of metallothioneins in the skin and the liver, the expression of metallothionein mRNA in the liver, as well as the presence of histological alterations and of apoptosis in the target organs were evaluated. The 9-months exposure induced cadmium accumulation in all the tissues examined; moreover, histological changes were observed in all the tissues examined, irrespective of the dose or the time of exposure. Apoptosis was only detected in the kidney, whereas metallothioneins and metallothionein mRNA did not increase. This study demonstrates that the existing chronic water quality criterion established for cadmium induces in the newt T. carnifex cadmium accumulation and histological alterations in the target organs examined. Together with our previous results, showing that, at these same concentrations, cadmium induced endocrine disruption, the present results suggest that the existing chronic water quality criterion for cadmium appears to be not protective of amphibians.
authors: Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: anna.capaldo@unina.it.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Capaldo
authors: Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors: Flaminia
authors: F
authors: Gay
authors: Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors: Rosaria
authors: R
authors: Scudiero
authors: Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Trinchella
authors: Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors: Ivana
authors: I
authors: Caputo
authors: Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors: Marilena
authors: M
authors: Lepretti
authors: Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Marabotti
authors: Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Esposito
authors: Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors: Vincenza
authors: V
authors: Laforgia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D019256:Cadmium Chloride; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D007558:Italy; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects; D014319:Triturus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D008668:Metallothionein; D019256:Cadmium Chloride
keywords: Amphibians; Apoptosis; Cadmium; Environment; Metallothionein; Triturus carnifex