EFFECT OF CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO CADMIUM ON THE LIPID METABOLISM IN PROSTATE

ALVAREZ SM, GOMEZ NN, GIMENEZ MS.

Puerto Iguazu

Congreso; XL Reunion Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular (SAIB).; 2004

Sociedad Argentina de Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular (SAIB).

We have shown alterations on the histology of prostates exposed to Cadmium (Cd). The objective of this work was to determine if there were also changes in the metabolism of lipids. Wistar male rats were separated in two groups: Cd, which received 100 ppm of Cd in drinking water for 12 weeks and control (Co) which did not receive Cd. Lipids were separated by TLC. Phospholipid (PL), triglycerides (TG), total (TC), free (FC) and esterified cholesterol (EC) were determined. The activities of fatty acid synthase (FAS), glucose-6-phosphate (G6PDH), isocitrate (IDH) and malic dehydrogenases (MDH) were assayed. Total RNA was isolated with Trizol. The expression of FAS, diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) I and II, SREBP-2, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) g and a, glycerol-phosphato acyltransferase (G-PAT), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and b-actin as an internal control was studied by RT-PCR. TG (Co:148±13,62; Cd:53,57± 1.,89 mg/mg protein, p<0.01) and EC (Co:2,01±0,25; Cd: 0,62±0,04 mg/mg protein, p<0.05) while FC (Co:3,50±0,52; Cd: 6,06±0.,95 mg/mg protein, p<0.05) and PL increased (Co:6,67±0,18; Cd:28,75±5,75 mg/mg protein, p<0.005). The activity of the enzymes did not show variations. The expression of DGAT-I decreased and PPAR-a, SREBP-2 and GPAT increased, while DGAT-II, FAS, LPL and PPAR-g did not show modifications.  Cd induces changes in the synthesis of phospholipids and triglycerides through alterations in the expression of specific enzymes and transcription factors.