Cadmium treatment in drinking water exerts xenoestrogenic effects in uterus and pituitary gland from ovariectomized rats

BENZO Y; RONCHETTI SA; CROCCO M; KELMANSKY D; DUVILANSKI BH; CABILLA JP

Chicago

Congreso; 16th International Congress of Endocrinology (ICE/ENDO).; 2014

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal widely used in industry and is an extensive environmental contaminant. General population is exposed to Cd primarily through cigarette smoking, dietary sources, and drinking water. Despite the metal has no known physiological function, there is increasing evidence suggesting that Cd exerts potent metallohormone actions, mainly by mimicking estrogen (E2) actions. Although it has been reported its E2-like activities in cell lines, its in vivo effects remain largely unknown. The objective of the present work was to study the in vivo metalloestrogen Cd effects in hormone-responsive tissues. Adult female Wistar rats were ovariectomized and immediately exposed to 1 ppm Cd in drinking water during 1 month. Control rats were given tap water without Cd. Samples of vaginal smears were collected daily. Body weight and water consumption were monitored periodically and did not differ among control and treated groups. Protein expression was determined by western blot. Cd administration augmented the relative frequency of proestrus and estrus (nº of proestrus + estrus/total number of samples x100), control (C): 0%; Cd: 60%). Besides, Cd treatment significantly increased uterine wet weight (relative to body weight, C: 0.116 ± 0.008 g; Cd: 0.3 ± 0.06 g*, p