CADMIUM ALTERS MORPHOLOGY AND INDUCES APOPTOSIS IN AORTA. EFFECT OF SOY BEAN AS DIETARY PROTEIN

PÉREZ DÍAZ, MATÍAS; ACOSTA, MARIANO; MOHAMED, FABIAN; OLIVEROS, LILIANA; GIMENEZ, MARÍA SOFÍA

San Luis

Congreso; XXX Reunión Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2012

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Cd toxicity has been associated to cardiovascular alterations. We have shown that Cd produces oxidative changes in aorta. To study the effects of Cd on morphology and apoptosis in thoracic aorta, and the possible protective role of soybeans in the diet, 6 lots of adult male Wistar rats were conformed: 3 lots received casein and 3 lots soybeans as protein source in the diet. Within each protein group, 3 lots were formed: one received water without Cd (control) and the other two received 15 and 100 ppm of Cd (as Cl2Cd) in the drinking water, respectively, for 60 days. Aorta light microscopy study, and Bax and Bcl-2 mRNA (RT-PCR) and protein expression (immunocytochemistry), in control and 100 ppm Cd-treated rats were determined. Aorta of rats fed the casein diet and exposed to 100 ppm Cd showed irregular luminal layers of endothelial cell lining, and alterations in the tunica media cells, consistent with lipid vacuolization. This agree with a higher Bax and a lower Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expressions, than control. Cd in groups fed the soybean diet did not alter aorta morphology. An increase of Bcl-2 expression with 100 ppm Cd exposure was observed. Soybean in the diet seems to protect to thoracic aorta against Cd effects.