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Effect of cadmium exposure on the histopathology of cerebral cortex in juvenile mice
1College of Animal Science, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan Province, People's Republic of China, 453003, yangxuefeng2003@126.com.
Abstract:
Cadmium, a heavy metal, is a toxic environmental and industrial pollutant. Exposure to cadmium can lead to the toxic effects in a variety of tissues, also including the brain. The present study investigated the effect of cadmium exposure on the histopathology of cerebral cortex in juvenile mice. Juvenile mice were randomly divided into control, low (1.87 mg/kg), medium (3.74 mg/kg), and high (7.48 mg/kg) dose groups. After cadmium exposure by drinking water for 10 days, the cerebral cortex was obtained for histopathology studies. The medium and high dose of cadmium, rather than low dose, could induce the histopathology alterations of cerebral cortex in a dose-dependent manner. In the high-dose group, microstructure significantly showed pia mater encephali divorcing from cerebral cortex layer, serious hyperemia of blood capillary in pia mater encephali and cerebral cortex, broadening vessel peripheral clearance, a large number of eosinophil leukocyte infiltrating around blood vessel, vacuolar degeneration in part granule cells, and obviously increasing apoptotic cells. Ultrastructure obviously displayed marginalized heterochromatin, incomplete or fused nuclear membranes, broadened perinuclear space, ambiguous mitochondria cristae, decreased synaptic cleft, and fused presynaptic and postsynaptic membrane. Our results revealed that cadmium at the middle and high dose could induce obvious microstructure and ultrastructure alterations of cerebral cortex in juvenile mice, which may be one important mechanism of cadmium neurotoxicity.
Insights
Cadmium exposure damages the cerebral cortex in juvenile mice, causing significant microstructural and ultrastructural changes. These findings highlight a key mechanism of cadmium-induced neurotoxicity.
Area of Science:
- Environmental toxicology
- Neuroscience
- Cell biology
Background:
- Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal pollutant with known adverse effects on various tissues, including the brain.
- Understanding cadmium's impact on the developing brain is crucial for public health and environmental safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the histopathological effects of cadmium exposure on the cerebral cortex of juvenile mice.
- To determine the dose-dependent relationship between cadmium exposure and cerebral cortex alterations.
Main Methods:
- Juvenile mice were exposed to varying doses of cadmium (0, 1.87, 3.74, 7.48 mg/kg) via drinking water for 10 days.
- Cerebral cortex tissues were analyzed using light and electron microscopy for histopathological changes.
- Microstructure and ultrastructure alterations were evaluated in a dose-dependent manner.
Main Results:
- Medium and high doses of cadmium induced significant, dose-dependent histopathological alterations in the cerebral cortex.
- High-dose exposure led to pia mater separation, hyperemia, widened perivascular spaces, eosinophil infiltration, neuronal vacuolar degeneration, and increased apoptosis.
- Ultrastructural analysis revealed marginalized heterochromatin, nuclear membrane abnormalities, widened perinuclear space, mitochondrial damage, reduced synaptic clefts, and fused synaptic membranes.
Conclusions:
- Cadmium exposure at medium and high doses causes significant microstructural and ultrastructural damage to the cerebral cortex in juvenile mice.
- These observed alterations provide evidence for a critical mechanism underlying cadmium-induced neurotoxicity in the developing brain.
