Possible role of glutamate, aspartate, glutamine, GABA or taurine on cadmium toxicity on the hypothalamic pituitary axis activity in adult male rats.

Abstract

This work was designed to evaluate the possible changes in glutamate, aspartate, glutamine, GABA and taurine within various hypothalamic areas the striatum and prefrontal cortex after oral cadmium exposure in adult male rats, and if these changes are related to pituitary hormone secretion. The contents of glutamine, glutamate, aspartate, GABA and taurine in the median eminence, anterior, mediobasal and posterior hypothalamus, and in prefrontal cortex in adult male rats exposed to 272.7 micromol l(-1) of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) in the drinking water for one month. Cadmium diminished the content of glutamine, glutamate and aspartate in anterior hypothalamus as compared to the values found in the untreated group. Besides, there is a decrease in the content of glutamate, aspartate and taurine in the prefrontal cortex. The amino acids studied did not change in median eminence, mediobasal and posterior hypothalamus or the striatum by cadmium treatment. Plasma prolactin and LH levels decreased in rats exposed to the metal. These results suggest that (1) cadmium differentially affects amino acid content within the brain region studied and (2) the inhibitory effect of cadmium on prolactin and LH secretion may be partially explained by a decrease in the content of both glutamate and aspartate in anterior hypothalamus, but not through changes in GABA and taurine.