Effect of cadmium on essential metal concentrations in testis, liver and kidney of five inbred strains of mice

Abstract

To compare the organ injuries by cadmium administration among inbred strains of mice, CdCl 2 was injected subcutaneously into C3H/He, BALB/c, DBA/2, CBA/J and C57BL/6 strains at a dose of 30 μmol/kg body weight, and the changes of 6 essential metal [sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn)] concentrations were determined at 6, 24 and 48 h. Testicular Cd concentrations at 6 h in DBA/2 and CBA/J were significantly higher than those in the other 3 strains. Marked alterations in testicular metal concentrations (increases in Na, Ca and Fe and decreases in K and Mg) were observed in the 2 strains. At 48 h, hepatic Cd concentration in BALB/c was decreased from the higher level at 24 h and an abrupt increase in renal Cd concentration was detected. Changes in hepatic essential metal concentrations at 48 h in BALB/c were in the same direction as those in the testis of DBA/2 and CBA/J. As a whole, C3H/He, BALB/c and C57BL/6 strains showed more remarkable alterations in hepatic essential metal concentrations, except Zn level, than DBA/2 and CBA/J which showed larger increases in Zn concentration (probably due to larger metallothionein induction). It was suggested from the data that C3H/He, BALB/c and C57BL/6 were strains sensitive to the hepatotoxicity of Cd and that DBA/2 and CBA/J were susceptible to the testicular toxicity of Cd.