Oxidative damage in liver after perinatal intoxication with lead and/or cadmium

• Published in: Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 210 - 216
• Main Authors: Massó, Elvira Luján, Corredor, Laura, Antonio, Maria Teresa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01-01-2007
• Subjects: Acid Phosphatase - metabolism; Alkaline Phosphatase - metabolism; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Cadmium; Cadmium - administration & dosage; Cadmium Poisoning - metabolism; Cadmium Poisoning - pathology; Catalase; Catalase - metabolism; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Drug Combinations; Female; Lead; Lead - administration & dosage; Lead Poisoning - metabolism; Lead Poisoning - pathology; Liver Diseases - metabolism; Organ Size; Oxidative Stress; Phosphatases; Pregnancy; Rats; Rats, Wistar; TBARS; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - analysis; Lead; Cadmium; TBARS; Phosphatases; Catalase
• ISSN: 0946-672X; 1878-3252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2007.03.002

Lead acetate (300
mg Pb/L) and/or cadmium acetate (10
mg Cd/L) in blood and liver were administrated as drinking water to pregnant Wistar rats from day 1 of pregnancy to parturition (day 0) or until weaning (day 21), to investigate the toxic effects in blood and in the liver. Both metals produced mycrocitic anaemia in the pups as well as oxidative damage in the liver, as suggested by the significant increase in TBARS production and the high catalase activity. Moreover, intense alkaline and acid phosphatase activity, used as biomarkers of liver adaptation to damaging factors, was observed. In addition, the toxikinetics are different for Pb and Cd: while Cd is a hepatotoxic from day 0, Pb is not until day 21. Finally, simultaneous perinatal administration of both metals seems to protect, at least, in the liver TBARS production against the toxicity produced by Cd or Pb separately.