CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO CADMIUM AT 100 PPM INDUCES PROSTATE APOPTOSIS

ÁLVAREZ S., GÓMEZ N., VINCENTI A., FORNÉS M., Y JIMÉNEZ M.

Uspallata, Mendoza

Congreso; XXIII Reunión Anual de la Soc. de Biol. de Cuyo. III Reunión de la Soc. Argentina de Microscopía; 2005

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Chronic exposure to 100 ppm of cadmium induces prostate apoptosis  Álvarez SM; Gómez NN, Vincenti AE*,Fornés MW*,Giménez MS. Bioquímica Molecular. CONICET - Univ. Nac. San Luis. 5700 - San Luis *IHEM – Fac. Cs. Méd. - Univ. Nac. Cuyo. Mendoza. Argentina. salvarez@unsl.edu.ar Cadmium is a toxic metal widely spread in the environment. Previously, we have shown that cadmium induces oxidative stress and involution in rat prostate after three months of oral exposure. The aim was to study the expression of some apoptosis markers and to find out signs of cell death in the prostate. Male Wistar rats were divided in two groups: Cd group, which received 100 ppm of Cd in drinking water for 12 weeks and control group (Co) which received water without Cd. A portion of prostate was processed by conventional electronic microscope techniques and total RNA was isolated using the Trizol method. RNA was transcribed to cDNA using random hexamers and RT-MMLV (Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus). Amplifications by PCR using specific primers for Bax, SMAD3 and Clusterine were done. Beta actin was used as an internal control. The electronic microscope (EM) study showed nuclear changes and abnormal cytoplasm in prostate exposed to Cd compatible with apoptosis. On the other hand, the expression of the gene that codifies for Bax, a pro-apoptotic protein, increased as well as SMAD3 (a protein that participates actively in the apoptotic process), while the expression of Clusterine, an earlier marker of apoptosis, decreased. These results suggest that after three months of exposure to Cd, the prostate suffers an apoptotic event which has been initiated earlier in the treatment.