Histopathological evaluation of IBA-1, GFAP activity in the brain cortex of rats administered cadmium chloride

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the changes in brain tissue and blood-brain barrier due to oxidative stress during cadmium (Cd) poisoning by biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical methods. Methods: 170-190 g weighing eight-week-old female Wistar albino rats were divided into two groups (control and experimental), with 7 animals in each group. Experimental group rats were given 2 mg/kg/day powdered cadmium chloride dissolved in water intraperitoneally every day for two weeks. Biochemical, histopathological and immunohistochemical examination was performed. Results: It was seen that brain malondialdehyde (MDA) levels increased significantly, and glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) activity levels decreased. In addition to degeneration in some pyramidal cells and glial cells, deformity, and picnosis in the nucleus, dilation of the meninges and cortex vessels, and inflammation around the blood vessels were observed. An increase was found in ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA-1) expression in microglia cells and degenerative endothelial cells, and increased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression was observed in astrocytes and degenerate neurons. Conclusions: It has been shown that cadmium toxicity may cause microgliosis and astrogliogenesis by inducing cytokine production due to cell degeneration, vascularity, and inflammation in the brain cortex and by affecting microglia, astrocytes cells.