Effects of chronic cadmium exposure and cadmium exposure combined with γ-ray irradiation on the peripheral lymphocytes and their genotoxicity on hprt gene:experiment with rats

Abstract

objective To investigate the effects of chronic cadmium exposure and cadmium exposure combined with γ-ray irradiation on the peripheral lymphocytes and their genotoxicity on hprt gene.Methods Ninety-six SD rats were randomly divided into 6 equal groups:①normal control group,②lowdose cadmium exposure group undergoing intraperitoneal injection of 0.1 mg CdCl2·kg-1·d-1 for 8 weeks,③high-dose cadmium exposure group undergoing intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 mg CdCl2·kg-1·d-1 for 8 weeks,④pure irradiation group exposed to whole-body γ-ray irradiation at the dose of 2 Gy for one time,⑤low-dose cadmium exposure combined with irradiation group undergoing intraperitoneal injection of 0.1 mg CdCl2·kg-1·d-1 for 8 weeks and then whole-body 2 Gy γ-ray irradiation,and ⑥high-dose cadmium exposure combined with whole-body 2 Gy γ-ray irradiation group undergoing intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 mg CdCl2·kg-1·d-1 for 8 weeks and then whole-body 2 Gy γ-ray irradiation.Ten days after the irradiation cardiac blood samples were collected from some of the rats to culture the peripheral lymphocytes to detect the micronucleus rate and hprt mutant frequency of lymphocytes bv multinucleated cell assay.The other rats underwent continuous Cd exposure for 4 weeks after γ-ray irradiation and then cardiac blood samples were collected to detect the micronucleus rate and hprt mutant frequencv of lymphocytes.Meanwhile,the amount of white blood cells(WBC)was counted and the blood cadmium concentration was measured by ICP-MS.Results The numbers of WBC in the peripheral blood at different time points of the high dose cadmium group were significantly higher than those of the normal control group(F=8.74.P<0.01 and F=13.11,P=0.000).The micronucleus rate at difierent time points of the pure irradiation group were significantly higher than those of the control group( F = 26. 74 ,P =0. 000 and F = 14. 13, P = 0. 000). The micronucleus rates of the high-dose cadmium group were significantly higher than those of the control group( F = 26. 74 ,P <0. 05 and F = 14. 13 ,P = 0. 000 ). The micronucleus rates of the low-dose cadmium + irradiation group were significantly lower than those of the pure irradiation group( F = 26. 74, P < 0. 01 and F = 14. 13, P < 0. 05 ). The micronucleus rates of the highdose cadmium + irradiation group were significantly higher than those of the pure irradiation group ( F =26.74,P =0. 000 and F = 14. 13 ,P =0. 000). The hprt mutation rates at different time points of the pure irradiation group were significantly higher than those of the normal control group( F = 6.60, P < 0. 01 and F = 12.83 ,P = 0. 001 ). The hprt mutation rates of the high-dose cadmium group were significantly higher than those of the control group ( F = 6. 60, P < 0. 05 and F = 12.83, P < 0.05 ), but not significantly different from those of the pure irradiation group. However, the hprt mutation rates of the high-dose cadmium + irradiation group were significantly higher than those of the pure irradiation ( F = 12. 83, P =0. 000) and high-dose cadmium group( F = 6.60,P < 0.05 and F = 12. 83, P < 0.05 ). The hprt mutation rates of the low-dose cadmium + irradiation group were significantly lower than those of the pure irradiation ( F = 6. 60, P < 0. 05 ) , but not significantly different from those of the control group. Conclusions Chronic exposure to low dose cadmium induces the adaptive response of lymphocytes to radiation. The cadmium in blood at the level of 613-678 μg/L induces leukocytosis and chronic exposure to high dose cadmium combined with irradiation leads to increased genotoxicity of lymphocytes. Key words: Chronic cadmium exposure; Ionizing radiation; Genotoxicity; Peripheral blood cells; Blood cadmium