RATS EXPOSED TO CADMIUM IN DRINKING WATER. EVALUATION OF PRO- AND ANTI-APOPTOTIC MARKERS IN THE RAT HEART

FERRAMOLA ML, ; BIAGGIO VS; GOMEZ NN; ORTEGA HH; ANZULOVICH AC; GIMENEZ MS

Congreso; SOCIEDAD DE BIOLOGIA DE CUYO; 2012

Cadmium has been recognized being able to induce apoptosis in cardiomyocytes in vitro. The aim of the present work was to assess the content of pro- and anti-apoptotic markers in the heart of Cdintoxicated rats. We also evaluated the putative protection of giving a soy-based diet. Male Wistar rats, 8-10 weeks old, were separated into 6 groups and treated during 2 months, as it follows: groups (1), (3) and (5) were fed a casein-based diet; groups (2), (4) and (6) were fed a soy-based diet. Groups (1) and (2) received tap water; (3) and (4) received tap water+Cd2+ 15ppm; (5) and (6) tap water+Cd2+ 100ppm. Histological studies were performed by immunohistochemistry analyses, in order to evaluate the content of BCL-2, BAX and CASPASE-3 proteins, in the heart tissue. No significant differences were found among the studied groups. We conclude that exposure to Cd does not alter the amount of the pro- and anti- apoptotic proteins evaluated in the present work. No changes were observed in rats fed a soy-based diet. These results are in agreement with the lack of apoptosis previously observed by us with other assay.