Effect of in vivo low-dose cadmium pretreatment on the in vitro interactions of cadmium with isolated interstitial cells of the rat testes

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that Cd-induced testicular interstitial cell (TIC) tumors can be prevented by low-dose Cd pretreatment. However, the mechanism by which low-dose Cd induces such tolerance is unclear. Thus, in this study we assessed the effects of in vivo Cd pretreatment (3 μmol/kg) on Cd uptake, cytotoxicity, metal content (Zn, K, and Ca), and low molecular weight testicular Cd-binding proteins (low M r TCTBs) of isolated TICs exposed to Cd in vitro. TICs were isolated by collagenase dispersion of Wistar ( WF NCr ) rat testes and incubated with Cd (1.0 m m) for 15 to 60 min. In vivo Cd pretreatment decreased in vitro Cd uptake by 24% after 1 hr of incubation with Cd. In vivo Cd pretreatment also resulted in a marked reduction of in vitro Cd-induced cytotoxicity, as reflected by reduced loss of cellular K, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, as well as reduced lipid peroxidation and decreased Cd-induced Ca influx into TICs in vitro. These cytotoxic effects were not attributed solely to cell death as TIC viability remained high even after 1 hr in vitro Cd exposure. Cd-induced inhibition of intercellular enzymes, as assessed by cellular lactate dehydrogenase activity, was also reduced by low-dose Cd pretreatment. Cd pretreatment did not alter basal levels of Zn, Ca, or K. Neither low-dose in vivo Cd pretreatment nor in vitro Cd exposure appeared to greatly alter levels of the low M r TCBPs as assessed by electrophoresis. In vivo Zn pretreatment, which also effectively inhibits Cd-induced testicular tumors, results in a similar reduction in Cd-induced cytotoxicity in TICs. This indicates that treatments which result in reduced Cd-induced TIC tumors are consistently capable of reducing Cd-induced cytotoxicity in isolated TICs in vitro.