The cadmium concentrations in mineral mixtures used in beef cattle feed in the states of Sao Paulo and Parana, Brazil was measured. The cadmium concentration was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Of the 36 analyzed samples, 35 had values > 0.5 ppm (range 0.5 to 11.2 ppm), which is the maximum concentration recommended [4, 18]. These findings show the necessity for careful industrial monitoring, as some mineral mixtures contain sufficient cadmium to cause toxicity in animals.
Animal Feed/*analysis ; Animals ; Brazil ; Cadmium/*administration&dosage/*analysis/toxicity ; Cattle ; Minerals/*analysis ; Spectrum Analysis

The effects of salinity (50 mmol/L NaCl) and Cd (1 micromol/L CdCl(2)) as sole and combined on growth and photosynthetic parameters were studied using two soybean genotypes, Huachun 18 and NGB. The concentrations of Cd(2+), Zn(2+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), K(+) and Na(+) were also determined in seeds and pods. Huachun 18 suffered a more serious decrease than NGB in net photosynthetic rate (P(n)) in the treatments of salinity stress alone and combined stress (NaCl+Cd), showing that it is relatively sensitive to salinity. The decrease in P(n) caused by salt stress in Huachun 18 was mainly due to the reduced total chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency (the ratio of variable fluorescence to maximal fluorescence, F(v)/F(m)), whereas the decease in NGB was mainly related to reduced stomatal conductance (G(s)). The combined stress of both Na and Cd did not induce further decrease in photosynthesis and fluorescence in the two genotypes relative to salt or Cd stress alone. Greater change in the pod concentrations of Zn(2+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), K(+) and Na(+) was detected under salt stress for Huachun 18 than for NGB. The results suggested that the interactive effect of NaCl-Cd on growth and nutrient uptake differs between the two soybean genotypes.
Cadmium Chloride ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; Osmotic Pressure ; Photosynthesis ; drug effects ; Sodium Chloride ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; Soil ; analysis ; Soybeans ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of oral cadmium (Cd) ingestion on the pulmonary immune response. METHODS: Determination of Cd content in lungs and histopathological evaluation of the tissue was performed in rats following 30-day oral Cd administration (5 and 50 mg/L). Antioxidant enzyme defense (superoxide dismutase and catalase), cell infiltration, and production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interferon (IFN)-γ, as well as the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitric oxide (NO), and various cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17] were investigated. RESULTS: Cd caused tissue damage and cell infiltration in the lungs, and this damage was more pronounced at higher doses. Cd deposition resulted in lung inflammation characterized by a dose-dependent IL-1β increase in lung homogenates, increased TNF levels at both doses, and IL-6 stimulation at low doses with inhibition observed at higher doses. Cd exerted differential effects on lung leukocytes isolated by enzyme digestion, and these effects were characterized by a lack of change in the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, an inhibition of IL-1β and TNF, and stimulation of MPO and IFN-γ. The higher capacity of Cd-exposed lung cells to respond to the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis was demonstrated in vitro. CONCLUSION The potential of ingested Cd to exert both proinflammatory and immunosuppressive effects on pulmonary tissue inflammation and immune reactivity highlights the complex immunomodulatory actions of this metal.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Cadmium ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Leukocytes ; metabolism ; Lung ; drug effects ; immunology ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Staphylococcus epidermidis ; Toxicity Tests, Subchronic

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possible effects of oral cadmium(Cd) exposure on the expression levels of metallothionein-I and metallothionein-II (MT-I and MT-II) mRNA and the distribution of zinc (Zn) and Cd in rat prostate.

METHODSCadmium was given to rats at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg in drinking water. The contents of Zn and Cd in prostate were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry(AAS), and the levels of MTs mRNA were determined by RT-PCR.

RESULTSAfter Cd administration, the content of Zn was decreased in both the ventral and the dorsolateral lobes of rat prostate. In 200 mg/kg Cd group, the contents of Zn in ventral prostate were 9.5 and 8.5 micrograms/g wet weight respectively after one month and six months, which were significantly lower than those of control(17.0 and 18.9 micrograms/g wet weight). In contrast, the contents of Cd in both ventral and dorsolateral lobes of prostate significantly increased with the increasing dose and time of Cd administration. It was also noted that Cd administration resulted in a significant down-regulation of the expression of MT-I and MT-II mRNA in rat ventral prostate. In 200 mg/kg Cd group after one and six months, the relative expression levels of MT-I (0.410, 0.339 respectively) and MT-II (0.100, 0.112 respectively) were significantly lower than those of MT-I (0.760, 0.830 respectively) and MT-II (0.429, 0.439 respectively) in control group.

CONCLUSIONOral Cd exposure could influence the distribution of Zn and the expression levels of MTs mRNA in rat prostate.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Cadmium ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Metallothionein ; genetics ; Prostate ; drug effects ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Zinc ; metabolism

Sixty healthy Sprague-Dawley male rats were used and divided randomly into control group (group C), cadmium loading group with medium dose (group M) and cadmium loading group with high dose (group H). Groups C, M and H were orally dosed daily with 0, 5 and 10 mg/kg of cadmium for over 6 weeks. Effects of cadmium loading on testis and endocrine function of reproduction in male rats were studied. The results showed that the zinc content decreased slightly in testis and plasma, and the cadmium concentration increased significantly in the testis of groups M and H; while the plasma levels of cadmium and zinc had no obvious difference as compared with those of group C; daily sperm production in the testis of group H decreased markedly during week 3 of cadmium loading, and was significantly lower in groups M and H as compared to that in group C during week 6; alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in group H and lactate dehydrogenase-X (LDH-X) in groups M and H were markedly lower compared to those of group C; plasma testosterone (T) level in both cadmium loading groups decreased and was low or significantly lower than that in group C; follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels had no apparent difference between the three groups. It is suggested that the gradual accumulation of cadmium in testis tissue induced by chronic cadmium loading results in changes in some enzyme activity, a decrease in sperm production, and defect of endocrine function activity in the testis.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; drug effects ; Animals ; Cadmium ; blood ; Cadmium Chloride ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Isoenzymes ; drug effects ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; drug effects ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Testis ; enzymology ; pathology ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo examine the presence of gender differences in pro-inflammatory potential of cadmium in rats by comparing systemic inflammatory response to acute cadmium intoxication in animals of the two sexes.

METHODSBasic aspects of this response were evaluated, including plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and of major rat acute phase protein alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha2-M), as soluble indicators of inflammation, and the number and activity of peripheral blood leukocytes, as cellular indicators of inflammation.

RESULTSDifferential increases of IL-6 and alpha2-M (higher in males than in females) in peripheral blood cell counts and types (leukocytosis and shift in the ratio of granulocytes to lymphocytes more pronounced in males vs females) and in levels of neutrophil priming (higher in males vs females) were noted.

CONCLUSIONThe data document a more intense inflammatory response to cadmium administration in males. The sex differences in inflammatory effects of cadmium might be taken into consideration in studying the toxicity of this heavy metal.

Animals ; Cadmium ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Female ; Inflammation ; chemically induced ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Neutrophils ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Strains ; Sex Factors ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; alpha-Macroglobulins ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of cadmium chloride in anterior pituitary and the relation between apoptosis and expression of procaspase-9 mRNA.

METHODSIn vivo studies:40 SD male rats were randomly distributed into four groups which were administered with CdCl2 at different doses by gavage for 6 weeks;

IN VITRO STUDIESthe rats' anterior pituitary cells were primarily cultured for 120 hours, then treated with CdCl2 at the dose of 0, 1.56, 3.12, 6.25, 12.50, 25.00, 50.00, 100.00 micromol/L for 6 hours; The indices included: expression of procaspase-9 mRNA, detection of apoptosis with TUNEL assay.

RESULTSThe results showed the excretion of ACTH, LH seemed to be decreased dramatically and the apoptosis inclined to enhance remarkably, and further more, the expression of procaspase-9 mRNA appeared to be increased significantly as compared with those of the control. It was show that a dose-effect relationship between the CdCl2 dosing and indices above with the regression analysis and a linear correlation between the mean gray value of apoptosis cell and the relative gray value of procaspase-9 mRNA positive cell. The results indicated that damnification, for example, apoptosis could be caused by certain dose of CdCl2 in anterior pituitary cells with dose dependent manner. Caspase-9 might play a role in the occurrence of apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONIt was suggested that cadmium could induce apoptosis of anterior pituitary both in vivo and in vitro in the manner of dose-dependent, and caspase-9 might play a role during above processes.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cadmium Chloride ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Caspase 9 ; genetics ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Pituitary Gland, Anterior ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects