Endocrine disruption of cadmium in rats using the OECD enhanced TG 407 test system
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Published on: March 6, 2018
Heng Juan Wang1, Zhao Ping Liu1, Xu Dong Jia1
1Key Laboratory of China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, NHFPC, Beijing 100022, China.
Objective:
To evaluate the endocrine disrupting effects of cadmium (Cd) using OECD enhanced TG407 test guideline.
Methods:
Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into six groups and accordingly administered with 0, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 mg/kg•BW/day of Cd by gavage for 28 days. Body weight, food consumption, hematology, biochemistry, sex hormone levels, urinary β2-microglobulin, organ weights and histopathology and estrous cycle were detected.
Results:
Cd could significantly decrease animals' body weight (P<0.05). Serum luteinizing hormone (LH) at 10-20 mg/kg•BW groups and testosterone (T) at 2.5 and 10 mg/kg•BW groups decreased significantly (P<0.05). However, no statistically significant change was found in urinary β2-microglobulin among Cd-treatment groups (P>0.05). Endpoints related to female reproduction including uterus weight and histopathological change at 10-20 mg/kg•BW groups showed significant increase (P<0.05). While among male rats in 2.5, 10, 20 mg/kg•BW groups, weight of prostate, thyroids, and seminal vesicle glands significantly decreased (P<0.05). Moreover, no histopathological change was observed in kidney.
Conclusion:
Results suggested that Cd can cause endocrine disrupting effects in SD rats. Comparing with possible renal toxicity of Cd, its toxicity on endocrine system was more sensitive.
