Lectin histochemistry for detecting cadmium-induced changes in the glycosylation pattern of rat placenta

DIAZ M; GONZÁLEZ NV; NAJLE R; ZANUZZI CN; BARBEITO CG

BIOTECHNIC AND HISTOCHEMISTRY

INFORMA HEALTHCARE

Lugar: London; Año: 2017 vol. 92 p. 36 - 45

1052-0295

Cadmium (Cd) is an industrial and environmental pollutant that produces toxiceffects on gametogenesis, pre- and post-implantation embryos, and the placenta.Because the effects of acute Cd intoxication on the placenta are not wellunderstood, we investigated changes in its glycosylated components in Cd treateddams at days 4, 7, 10 and 15 of gestation using lectin histochemistry. CdCl2 wasadministered to pregnant rats; control animals received sterile normal saline.Placentas were processed for DBA, Con A, SBA, PNA, UEA-I, RCA-I and WGA lectinhistochemistry to evaluate changes in the carbohydrate pattern of the placentathat might modify cell interactions and contribute to embryonic alterations. Lectin binding was analyzed in the yolk sac; trophoblast giant cells; trophoblast I, II and III; spongiotrophoblast cells and endovascular trophoblast cells in the chorioallantoic placenta. Our lectin binding patterns showed that Cd caused alteration of SBA and DBA labeling of trophoblast-derived cells, which suggested increased expressions of α and β GalNAc. Cd also caused decreased UEA-1 binding affinity, which indicated fewer α-L-Fuc residues in placentas of Cd treated dams. The nonreactivity in trophoblast I of the control placentas incubated with Con-A contrasted with the labeling in placentas of experimental dams, which indicated increased expression of terminal α-D-Man, and α-D-Glc residues. We found that Cd altered the reactivity of placenta to several lectins, which indicated modification of the glycotype presented by the fetal component of the placenta. We report that Cd exerts a deleterious effect on the glycosylation pattern of the placenta.