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Updated: Apr 25, 2026
Ex Vivo Assessment of Contractility, Fatigability and Alternans in Isolated Skeletal Muscles
Published on: November 1, 2012
The environmental pollutant cadmium induces homeostasis alteration in muscle cells in vitro
V Papa1, F Wannenes, C Crescioli
1Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Section of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Piazza L. de Bosis 15, 00135, Rome, Italy.
Background:
Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal widely distributed throughout the environment as a result of contamination from a variety of sources. It exerts toxic effects in many tissues but scarce data are present as yet on potential effects on skeletal muscle tissue.
Aim:
To evaluate the potential alteration induced by Cd in skeletal muscle cells.
Materials And Methods:
C2C12 skeletal muscle cells were treated with Cd at different times of cellular differentiation and gene expression was evaluated.
Results:
Exposure to Cd decreased significantly p21 mRNA expression and strongly up-regulated cyclin D1 mRNA expression in committed cells and in differentiated myotubes. Moreover, myogenin, fast MyHC-IIb and slow MyHC-I mRNAs expression were also significantly decreased both in committed cells and in myotubes. Moreover, Cd exposure induced a strong increase of Pax3, Pax7 and Myf5 mRNAs expression and stimulated an up-regulation of IL6 and TNF-α proinflammatory cytokines.
Conclusion:
These data lead to hypothesize that environmental Cd exposure might trigger an injury-like event in muscle tissue, possibly by an estrogen receptor-mediated mechanism.
