Abstract
There are indications that Cd-induced malformations in rodents are related to a disrupted flux of Zn to the developing embryo. The aim of the present study was to detect ZnT-1 ( Slc30a1) and MT ( Mt1) protein in structures within the decidua, yolk sac and embryo of mice and to determine whether Cd affects ZnT-1 or MT-1 gene expression in these tissues. ZnT-1 was detected in the placental labyrinth, in the ventral part around the floor plate, in the inner cell layers of the rhombencephalon and in the ventral area of the otic vesicle. MT protein was detected in the yolk sac and in the surface ectoderm of some embryonic areas, such as the pharyngeal arches. ZnT-1 and MT-1 transcripts were most abundant in the decidua and yolk sac, whereas the abundance of these genes was relatively low in the embryo. Cd exposure down-regulated ZnT-1 and up-regulated MT-1 gene expression in all structures investigated, indicating that maternal Cd exposure may alter Zn homeostasis in the conceptus.
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