The vanRCd Mutation 343A>G, Resulting in a Thr115Ala Substitution, Is Associated with an Elevated Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of Vancomycin in Clostridioides difficile Clinical Isolates from Florida.

Clostridioides difficile, the primary cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea, has a complex relationship with antibiotics. While the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics disrupts the gut microbiota and increases the risk of C. difficile infection (CDI), antibiotics are also the primary treatment for CDI. However, only a few antibiotics, including vancomycin, fidaxomicin, and rifaximin, are effective against CDI, and resistance to these antibiotics has emerged recently. In this study, we report the identification of two RT027 C. difficile clinical isolates (TGH35 and TGH64) obtained from symptomatic CDI-diagnosed patients in Tampa, Florida in 2016. These two strains showed an elevated minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin (MIC = 4 µg/mL, compared to the EUCAST breakpoint of 2 µg/mL) and contained a vanRCd 343A>G mutation resulting in a Thr115Ala substitution in the VanRCd response regulator. This mutation was absent in the vancomycin-sensitive control epidemic strain RT027/R20291. TGH64 was also resistant to rifaximin (MIC ≥ 128 µg/mL) and carried the previously reported Arg505Lys and Ile548Met mutations in RpoB. Furthermore, we report on the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and genomic characterization of additional C. difficile isolates, including RT106/TGH120, RT017/TGH33, and RT017/TGH51, obtained from the same patient sample cohort representing the highly prevalent and regionally distributed C. difficile ribotypes worldwide. Considering that the VanRCd Thr115Ala mutation was also independently reported in seven C. difficile clinical isolates from Texas and Israel in 2019, we recommend epidemiological surveillance to better understand the impact of this mutation on vancomycin resistance. IMPORTANCE The perpetually evolving antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of C. difficile is an important contributor to its epidemiology and is a grave concern to global public health. This exacerbates the challenge of treating the infections caused by this multidrug-resistant causative organism of potentially life-threatening diarrhea. Further, the novel resistance-determining factors can be transferred between different strains and species of bacteria and cause the spread of AMR in clinical, environmental, and community settings. In this study, we have identified a mutation (vanRCd 343A>G) that causes a Thr115Ala substitution and is linked to an increased MIC of vancomycin in clinical isolates of C. difficile obtained from Florida in 2016. Understanding the mechanisms of AMR, especially those of newly evolving strains, is essential to effectively guide antibiotic stewardship policies to combat antibiotic resistance as well as to discover novel therapeutic targets.

Effect of crocin on PKHD1 and KLLN genes expression in kidney tissue of male rats treated with cadmium / Efecto de la crocina sobre la expresión de los genes PKHD1 y KLLN en tejido renal de ratas macho tratadas con cadmio

According to data from studies, antioxidant herbal compounds are, likely to have a useful role in reducing the harmful effects of environmental pollutants and toxic chemicals that most people are exposed to. Cadmium is one of the toxic elements that accumulate in many organs, especially in kidneys. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of crocin on the expression of PKHD1 and KLLN genes in cadmium-treated rats.In this experimental study, 40 adults male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were randomly divided into the following groups: control group received normal saline, cadmium group (15mg/kg), crocin group (20mg/kg) and cadmium group daily fed with crocin at a dose of 20 mg/kg.After eight weeks of treatment, rats were dissected, and kidney tissues were removed for evaluation of PKHD1 and KLLN gene expression by real time method. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and significant difference between groups was P<0.05.Our results showed an increase in PKHD1 gene expression and a decrease in KLLN gene expression in kidney tissue in the cadmium group compared to the control group (P <0.001).Also, a significant decrease in PKHD1 gene expression (P <0.001) and an increase in KLLN gene expression P <0.05) were observed in the tissues of all cadmium-treated rats compared to cadmium.Crocin consumption can have a protective effect against the impaired expression of PKHD1 and KLLN cadmium-induced apoptotic pathway.

Diversos estudios sugieren que compuestos antioxidantes de hierbas tienen un papel útil en la reducción de los efectos nocivos de los contaminantes ambientales y los químicos tóxicos a los que está expuesta la mayoría de las personas. El cadmio es uno de los elementos tóxicos que se acumulan en muchos órganos, especialmente en los riñones. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar el efecto de la crocina en la expresión de los genes PKHD1 y KLLN en ratas tratadas con cadmio.En este estudio experimental, 40 ratas Wistar macho adultas (200-250 g) se dividieron aleatoriamente en los siguientes grupos: el grupo de control recibió solución salina normal, el grupo de cadmio (15 mg / kg), el grupo de crocina (20 mg / kg) y el grupo de cadmio alimentado diariamente con crocina a una dosis de 20 mg / kg.Después de ocho semanas de tratamiento, se disecaron las ratas y se extrajeron los tejidos renales para evaluar la expresión de los genes PKHD1 y KLLN mediante un método en tiempo real. Los datos se analizaron mediante ANOVA de una vía y la diferencia significativa entre los grupos fue P <0,05.Nuestros resultados mostraron un aumento en la expresión del gen PKHD1 y una disminución en la expresión del gen KLLN en el tejido renal en el grupo de cadmio en comparación con el grupo de control (P <0,001).Además, se observó una disminución significativa en la expresión del gen PKHD1 (P <0,001) y un aumento en la expresión del gen KLLN P <0,05) en los tejidos de todas las ratas tratadas con cadmio en comparación con el cadmio.El consumo de crocina puede tener un efecto protector contra la expresión alterada de la vía apoptótica inducida por cadmio PKHD1 y KLLN.

Sulfur controlled cadmium dissolution in pore water of cadmium-contaminated soil as affected by DOC under waterlogging.

Cadmium (Cd) precipitation and dissolution in pore water is associated with dissolved organic carbon (DOC)-induced reduction-oxidation of sulfur (S) under waterlogging and is vital for controlling the bioavailability in paddy soil. A 120-day soil incubation experiment, including application of sulfur (S, 30 mg kg-1) and wheat straw (W, 1.0%) alone or in combination (W + S) into Cd-contaminated paddy soil under waterlogging, was conducted to investigate the dynamic of dissolved Cd and its relationship with DOC, S2-, Fe2+, pH, Eh and pe + pH in soil pore water. The results showed that the lowest dissolved Cd concentration was observed in the W + S-treated soil pore water among all treatments when the soil Eh remained at lower values during the period of 15-60 days of incubation, which could be attributed to CdS precipitation and/or co-precipitation of Cd absorbed by FeS2 because of the reduction in sulfur. The application of S resulted in a Cd rebound in the pore water irrespective of W addition when the Eh began to increase from its lowest values during the period of 45-75 days of incubation, and SOB genera were observed in the S added soil. This could be attributed to re-dissolution of the precipitated Cd in soils under the SOB-driven oxidation of sulfide such as CdS and FeS2. In conclusion, DOC-driven reduction-oxidation of sulfur controls Cd dissolution in the pore water of Cd-contaminated paddy soil under waterlogging conditions. Further studies are required to investigate the interaction of sulfur and SOM-induced DOC on Cd bioavailability in rice-planted paddy soils.

Changes in Proteome and Protein Phosphorylation Reveal the Protective Roles of Exogenous Nitrogen in Alleviating Cadmium Toxicity in Poplar Plants.

Phytoremediation soil polluted by cadmium has drawn worldwide attention. However, how to improve the efficiency of plant remediation of cadmium contaminated soil remains unknown. Previous studies showed that nitrogen (N) significantly enhances cadmium uptake and accumulation in poplar plants. In order to explore the important role of nitrogen in plants' responses to cadmium stress, this study investigates the poplar proteome and phosphoproteome difference between Cd stress and Cd + N treatment. In total, 6573 proteins were identified, and 5838 of them were quantified. With a fold-change threshold of > 1.3, and a p-value < 0.05, 375 and 108 proteins were up- and down-regulated by Cd stress when compared to the control, respectively. Compared to the Cd stress group, 42 and 89 proteins were up- and down-regulated by Cd + N treatment, respectively. Moreover, 522 and 127 proteins were up- and down-regulated by Cd + N treatment compared to the CK group. In addition, 1471 phosphosites in 721 proteins were identified. Based on a fold-change threshold of > 1.2, and a p-value < 0.05, the Cd stress up-regulated eight proteins containing eight phosphosites, and down-regulated 58 proteins containing 69 phosphosites, whereas N + Cd treatment up-regulated 86 proteins containing 95 phosphosites, and down-regulated 17 proteins containing 17 phosphosites, when compared to Cd stress alone. N + Cd treatment up-regulated 60 proteins containing 74 phosphosites and down-regulated 37 proteins containing 42 phosphosites, when compared to the control. Several putative responses to stress proteins, as well as transcriptional and translational regulation factors, were up-regulated by the addition of exogenous nitrogen following Cd stress. Especially, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), 14-3-3 protein, peroxidase (POD), zinc finger protein (ZFP), ABC transporter protein, eukaryotic translation initiation factor (elF) and splicing factor 3 B subunit 1-like (SF3BI) were up-regulated by Cd + N treatment at both the proteome and the phosphoproteome levels. Combing the proteomic data and phosphoproteomics data, the mechanism by which exogenous nitrogen can alleviate cadmium toxicity in poplar plants was explained at the molecular level. The results of this study will establish the solid molecular foundation of the phytoremediation method to improve cadmium-contaminated soil.

Dados Preliminares do Valor Prognóstico de um Novo Protocolo deCintilografia Miocárdica Ultrarrápido e com Menos Radiação emGamacâmara CZT / Preliminary Data on the Prognostic Value of a New Protocol of Ultra-fast Myocardial Scintigraphy with Less Radiation in CZT Gamma Camera

A cintilografia miocárdica de perfusão (CMP) é um dos métodos mais utilizados na avaliação de pacientes com suspeita de coronariopatia por seu valor diagnóstico e prognóstico. Duas de suas maiores limitações são o uso de radiação e a duração prolongada dosexames. Entretanto, novas Gamacâmaras de CZT (GC-CZT) têm permitido reduzir as doses dos radiotraçadores empregadas e o tempo de aquisição. O valor prognóstico desses novos protocolos não é conhecido.Objetivo: Determinar o valor prognóstico de um novo protocolo de CMP ultrarrápido e de baixa radiação numa GC-CZT. População: Pacientes com suspeita de coronariopatia consecutivamente submetidos a CMP numa GC-CZT no período de novembro de 2011 a junho de 2012.Metodologia: Foi utilizado protocolo de mesmo dia, iniciado pela fase de repouso com dose de 5 mCi e posterior estresse com dose de 15 mCi de Tc-99m sestamibi. Os tempos de aquisição foram de 6 e 3 minutos, respectivamente. Os exames foram classificados como normais ou anormais e escores de perfusão (SSS, SRS e SDS) foram calculados. Pacientes foram acompanhados mediante contato telefônico semestral. Os eventos avaliados foram morte, infarto não fatal e revascularização tardia (> 60 dias após CMP). Foi utilizado método de Coxpara identificar os preditores.Resultados: Setecentos e noventa e dois pacientes foram acompanhados por 21,3 ± 3,7 meses. A idade média foi de 65,2 ± 12,7 anos, sendo 50,3% do sexo masculino e o IMC médio de 26,9 ± 4,7. Hipertensão arterial foi o fator de risco mais frequente (59,5%), seguidode dislipidemia (51,9%) e diabetes (23,3%). Estresse físico foi empregado em 438 (55,3%) pacientes; 618 (78%) CMP foram normais. A dosimetria média dos exames foi 6 mSv e a duração média, de 48 ± 11 minutos. Durante o seguimentos ocorreram 12 óbitos, 4 infartos não fatais...

Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) is one of the most used imaging methods for the evaluation of patients for coronary artery disease (CAD) due to its diagnostic and prognostic value. Two of its main limitations are radiation use and scan duration. However, CZT cameras (CZT-C) have allowed tracer dose and scan time reductions. However, the prognostic value of these new protocols is not known. Objective: To determine the prognostic value of a new, ultrafast, low dose protocol in a CZT-C. Population: Patients with suspect CAD undergoing MPS from 11/2011 to 6/2012 were studied. Methods: They had a 1-day Tc-99m sestamibi protocol starting with rest study (5 mCi dose) followed by stress (15 mCi). Acquisition times were 6 and 3 minutes respectively. MPS studied were classified as normal or abnormal and perfusion scores (SSS, SRS and SDS) were calculated. Patients were accompanied by 6-month phone calls. Events were defined as death, nonfatal myocardial infarction and late revascularization (> 60 days after MPS) and analyzed with the Cox method.Results: 792 patients were followed for 21.3 ± 3.7 months. Age was 65.2 ± 12.7 years, 50.3% were male and body mass index was 26.9 ± 4.7. Hypertension was the most frequent risk factor (59.5%), followed by hypercholesterolemia (51.9%) and diabetes (23.3%). Exercise was used in 438 (55.3%); 618 (78%) MPS studies were normal. Mean dosimetry was 6 mSv and mean scan time, 48 ± 11 minutes. During follow-up, there were 12 deaths...

Cadmium-containing nanoparticles: perspectives on pharmacology and toxicology of quantum dots.

The field of nanotechnology is rapidly expanding with the development of novel nanopharmaceuticals that have potential for revolutionizing medical treatment. The rapid pace of expansion in this field has exceeded the pace of pharmacological and toxicological research on the effects of nanoparticles in the biological environment. The development of cadmium-containing nanoparticles, known as quantum dots, show great promise for treatment and diagnosis of cancer and targeted drug delivery, due to their size-tunable fluorescence and ease of functionalization for tissue targeting. However, information on pharmacology and toxicology of quantum dots needs much further development, making it difficult to assess the risks associated with this new nanotechnology. Further, nanotechnology poses yet another risk for toxic cadmium, which will now enter the biological realm in nano-form. In this review, we discuss cadmium-containing quantum dots and their physicochemical properties at the nano-scale. We summarize the existing work on pharmacology and toxicology of cadmium-containing quantum dots and discuss perspectives in their utility in disease treatment. Finally, we identify critical gaps in our knowledge of cadmium quantum dot toxicity, and how these gaps need to be assessed to enable quantum dot nanotechnology to transit safely from bench to bedside.

A paradox of cadmium: a carcinogen that impairs the capability of human breast cancer cells to induce angiogenesis.

Cadmium, a highly persistent heavy metal, has been categorized as a human carcinogen. Even though it is known that cadmium acts as estrogens in breast cancer cells, several studies failed to demonstrate whether cadmium is a causal factor for breast cancer. The lack of a strong association between cadmium and breast cancer could be found in the antiangiogenic properties of this heavy metal, which might counteract its carcinogenic properties in the progression of breast cancer. In this study, we exposed estrogen-responsive breast cancer cells to subtoxic levels of cadmium, and we evaluated their angiogenic potential using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay. Exposure of breast cancer cells to subtoxic levels of cadmium significantly inhibited the angiogenic potential of the breast cancer cell line, suggesting the possibility that cadmium might negatively regulate the production of proangiogenic factors in breast cancer cells. Our results suggest that cadmium might exert a paradoxical effect in breast cancer: on the one hand, it could promote carcinogenesis, and, on the other hand, it could delay the onset of tumors by inhibiting breast cancer cell-induced angiogenesis.

Dietary cadmium inhibits spontaneous hepatocarcinogenesis in C3H/HeN mice and hepatitis in A/J mice, but not in C57BL/6 mice.

Cadmium is known to be a potent carcinogenic and mutagenic metal. However, we demonstrated that dietary supplementation with 50 ppm cadmium inhibits spontaneous carcinogenesis in C3H/HeN and spontaneous hepatitis in A/J mice. We found that the frequencies of spontaneous hepatocarcinogenesis in C3H/HeN mice and of spontaneous hepatitis in A/J mice fed low-dose cadmium for 54 weeks were significantly lower than those in the respective control groups. A cadmium-induced increase in metallothionein production itself and/or metallothionein-associated increases in hepatic zinc concentrations may be involved in the observed preventive effects of cadmium. Our results suggest that low doses of cadmium in the diet or environment may play a beneficial role in the prevention of hepatic disease in humans and animals.

Evaluation of apoptosis and micronucleation induced by reactor neutron beams with two different cadmium ratios in total and quiescent cell populations within solid tumors.

PURPOSE: Response of quiescent (Q) and total tumor cells in solid tumors to reactor neutron beam irradiation with two different cadmium (Cd) ratios was examined in terms of micronucleus (MN) frequency and apoptosis frequency, using four different tumor cell lines. METHODS AND MATERIALS: C57BL mice bearing EL4 tumors, C3H/He mice bearing SCC VII or FM3A tumors, and Balb/c mice bearing EMT6/KU tumors received 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) continuously for 5 days via implanted mini-osmotic pumps to label all proliferating (P) cells. Thirty min after i.p. injection of sodium borocaptate-10B (BSH), or 3 h after oral administration of p-boronophenylalanine-10B (BPA), the tumors were irradiated with neutron beams. The tumors without 10B-compound administration were irradiated with neutron beams or gamma-rays. This neutron beam irradiation was performed using neutrons with two different Cd ratios. The tumors were then excised, minced, and trypsinized. The tumor cell suspensions thus obtained were incubated with cytochalasin-B (a cytokinesis blocker), and the MN frequency in cells without BrdU labeling (=Q cells) was determined using immunofluorescence staining for BrdU. Meanwhile, for apoptosis assay, 6 h after irradiation, tumor cell suspensions obtained in the same manner were fixed, and the apoptosis frequency in Q cells was also determined with immunofluorescence staining for BrdU. The MN and apoptosis frequencies in total (P + Q) tumor cells were determined from the tumors that were not pretreated with BrdU. RESULTS: Without 10B-compounds, the sensitivity difference between total and Q cells was reduced by neutron beam irradiation. Under our particular neutron beam irradiation condition, relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of neutrons was larger in Q cells than in total cells, and the RBE values were larger for low Cd-ratio than high Cd-ratio neutrons. With 10B-compounds, both frequencies were increased for each cell population, especially for total cells. BPA increased both frequencies for total cells more than BSH did. Nevertheless, the sensitivity of Q cells treated with BPA was lower than that of Q cells treated with BSH. Whether based on the MN frequency or the apoptosis frequency, similar results concerning the sensitivity difference between total and Q cells, the values of RBE, and the enhancement effect by the use of 10B-compound were obtained. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis frequency, as well as the MN frequency, can be applied to our method for measuring the Q cell response to reactor neutron beam irradiation within solid tumor in which the ratio of apoptosis to total cell death is relatively high, as in EL4 tumor. The absolute radiation dose required to achieve the same endpoint for Q cells is much higher than that for total cells when combined with 10B-compound, especially with BPA.

Down-regulation of metallothionein expression in human and murine hepatocellular tumors: association with the tumor-necrotizing and antineoplastic effects of cadmium in mice.

Previously, we found that oral cadmium (Cd) treatment either prevented or substantially reduced N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-induced tumor formation in B6C3F1 mouse liver or lung regardless of exposure interval and even when the Cd was given well after tumors were formed. Because Cd salts are powerful emetics, oral exposure would probably be impractical in humans. Thus, we studied suppression of NDEA-initiated tumors in male B6C3F1 mice by a single i.v. dose of Cd. NDEA (776 mumol/kg i.p.) was given at time 0 followed by CdCl2 (16 mumol/kg i.v.) 40 weeks later. This dose of Cd had no effect on body weights through the conclusion of the study at 52 weeks. The NDEA-induced increase in hepatic tumor incidence (19 tumor-bearing mice/22 mice at risk, 86%) over control (5/24, 21%) was remarkably reduced by Cd treatment (13/27, 48%, P < or = .05). Multiplicity and size of liver tumors induced by NDEA (2.18 tumors/liver; 31.6 mm3 mean volume) were also substantially reduced by the Cd exposure (0.96 tumors/liver; 17.1 mm3 mean volume). NDEA-induced lung tumor incidence (22/22, 100%) and multiplicity (5.09 tumors/lung) were modestly, but significantly, reduced by Cd treatment (21/27, 78%; 3.89 tumors/lung). Clear evidence of tumor-specific cytotoxicity was observed as Cd treatment induced a necrotizing effect that was localized only within the hepatic tumors. Metallothionein (MT), an inducible metal-binding protein associated with tolerance to many metal including Cd, was not detected immunohistochemically in mouse liver tumors, even those undergoing Cd-induced necrosis, whereas the surrounding normal liver cells expressed high levels of MT after Cd exposure. Likewise, in human hepatocellular carcinomas MT was only poorly or erratically expressed relative to normal tissue. These results indicate that a single, nontoxic dose of Cd dramatically reduces liver tumor burden through tumor cell-specific necrosis due to a down-regulation of MT expression in hepatic tumors of murine origin and furthermore indicate that a similar down-regulation of MT occurs in human hepatocellular carcinomas.

Mechanisms of resistance of human small cell lung cancer lines selected in VP-16 and cisplatin.

BACKGROUND: The combination of VP-16 and cisplatin is one of the most active regimens available for the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), however, most tumors eventually become resistant to these drugs. METHODS: To investigate the problem of resistance to VP-16 and cisplatin in patients with SCLC, we established two resistant sublines from the drug sensitive human SCLC line, NCI-H209, by in vitro selection in VP-16 and cisplatin. RESULTS: The VP-16-selected cell line, H209/VP, was more than 100-fold resistant to VP-16, and displayed cross-resistance to VM-26 and other topoisomerase II interactive drugs, but not to vinca alkaloids. There was no difference in accumulation of VP-16 in H209/VP compared with its parent cell line. The level of topoisomerase II-alpha was reduced to 8% of that in the parent cell line, and there was an altered form of this enzyme with a molecular weight of 160 kilodaltons (kDa), in addition to the normal 170 kDa protein. The cisplatin-selected cell line, H209/CP, was 11.5-fold resistant to cisplatin, with only a low level of cross-resistance to other platinum compounds including carboplatin, tetraplatin, iproplatin, and lobaplatin. This line was highly cross-resistant to vinca alkaloids, but not to anthracyclines or epipodophyllotoxins. The H209/CP cell line was not resistant to cadium chloride, suggesting that alterations in metallothionein are unlikely to be a cause of resistance. Although glutathione (GSH) levels were increased nearly 2-fold in H209/CP, there was no difference in levels of the GSH-related enzymes glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, compared with the parent line. The H209/CP line had a 1.4-fold elevation of topoisomerase II-alpha. The accumulation of cisplatin was reduced in this cell line, and there were fewer DNA-interstrand cross links formed in the presence of cisplatin in H209/CP, compared with the parent line. Neither H209/VP nor H209/CP expressed MDR1, the gene for P-glycoprotein. The MRP gene was expressed at a slightly higher level in the H209/VP cell line, but there was no significant increase in expression of this gene in the H209/CP cell line. CONCLUSIONS: The resistance of the H209/VP cell line is associated with an alteration of topoisomerase II-alpha, whereas the resistance in the H209/CP line is associated with reduced drug accumulation.

Further evidence of the tumor-suppressive effects of cadmium in the B6C3F1 mouse liver and lung: late stage vulnerability of tumors to cadmium and the role of metallothionein.

Previously, we studied the ability of cadmium to initiate or promote tumors in B6C3F1 mice and, contrary to expectation, found that cadmium inhibited development of N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-initiated and sodium barbital-promoted liver tumors. In this study, the time course of cadmium inhibition of NDEA-initiated tumor formation was studied. A single dose of NDEA (90 mg/kg i.p.) was given at 5 weeks of age (time 0) followed by cadmium (1000 ppm) in drinking water from 2 to 48, 4 to 48, 8 to 48, 16 to 48 and 32 to 48 weeks. The study ended at 48 weeks. NDEA-induced elevations in liver tumor incidence (22 tumor-bearing mice/25 total) over control (5/25) were prevented by cadmium regardless of the period of administration (NDEA + cadmium: 2-48 weeks, 2/25; 4-48 weeks, 1/25; 8-48 weeks, 1/25; 16-48 weeks, 2/25; 32-48 weeks, 6/24). Cadmium alone (2-48 weeks) eliminated (0/25) spontaneously occurring liver tumors (5/25). NDEA-induced lung tumor incidence (25/25) and multiplicity (7.28 tumors/lung) were also reduced by cadmium (maximal decreases 28% and 80%, respectively). Some evidence of a specific deficiency of metallothionein in tumor cells was seen immunohistologically in NDEA-induced hepatic lesions and pulmonary lesions. These results indicate that cadmium prevents or reduces tumor formation in the B6C3F1 mouse liver and lung regardless of the exposure interval and apparently by cell-specific cytotoxicity. Auxiliary studies indicated that in mice bearing multiple liver foci resulting from NDEA treatment there was a marked reduction in basal metallothionein levels and in response to zinc induction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In vivo effect of cadmium chloride on intestinal colonization of rats by Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni (10(8) C.F.U) fed intragastrically unto 18 laboratory rats (white whiskers) resulted in colonization of the 18 rats intestines and their eventual excretion of the organism for four months post infection. When 10(8) CFU of C. jejuni was mixed with 10 mu/ml of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) and fed immediately to another set of 18 rats, colonization of rats intestines was greatly reduced and C. jejuni was recovered from two (11%) out of 18 rats and the faeces were positive for C. jejuni for a maximum of 29 days. Six control rats given 1 ml of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and a second set of another six control animals given 1 ml of PBS containing 10 micrograms/ml of CdCl2 gave negative result for C. jejuni throughout the experiment. This work depicts an in vivo effect of CdCl2 on C. jejuni and may be of importance in the control of C. jejuni colonization in experimental animals.

Modulation of calciuria by cadmium pretreatment in rats with cadmium-metallothionein-induced nephrotoxicity.

One group of male Wistar rats (Group B) was pretreated by a daily subcutaneous injection with CdCl2 during 5 days with increasing doses (0.5, 1, 1, 2 and 2 mg Cd/kg). Another group of rats (Group A) was daily given normal saline subcutaneously for 5 days. On the second day after the last injection, a single s.c. injection of 109Cd-metallothionein (CdMT, 0.4 mg Cd/kg) was given to each animal in both groups. Urinary calcium, protein, metallothionein (MT), N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and gamma glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT) were measured. In Group A, calciuria, proteinuria, metallothioneinuria and enzymuria was induced by CdMT. Calciuria reached a peak during 0-6 h after the administration of CdMT, thus appearing earlier than other effects. Enzymuria was displayed at 6-12 h for gamma-GT and 12-24 h for NAG. A prominent increase of proteinuria appeared at 24-48 h after the challenge of CdMT. In Group B, no significant increase of urinary calcium, protein, or NAG was observed after the CdMT injection and urinary gamma-GT was only slightly elevated, thus demonstrating the protective action of pretreatment. This study demonstrates for the first time that calciuria, one of the signs of cadmium nephrotoxicity, can be prevented by cadmium pretreatment. Urinary MT increased slightly during the 4-5 days of CdCl2 pretreatment. This is in accordance with previous observations that cadmium pretreatment induces new synthesis of MT which is likely to constitute the background for the resistance to the CdMT challenge to the kidney.

Anticarcinogenic effects of cadmium in B6C3F1 mouse liver and lung.

The B6C3F1 mouse liver has been widely used for the evaluation of carcinogenic or tumor promoting efficacy of various organic compounds, although little is known about the actions of metallic carcinogens in this system. Thus, the ability of cadmium to initiate or promote tumors in B6C3F1 mouse liver was studied. In promotion studies, diethylnitrosamine (DEN; 90 mg/kg, ip) was given as an initiator to 5-week-old mice followed 2 weeks later by 500 or 1000 ppm of cadmium in drinking water for 50 weeks. DEN caused an elevation of liver tumor incidence (13 tumor bearing mice/45 total) over control (1/48) which was prevented by cadmium (DEN + 500 ppm cadmium, 3/42; DEN + 1000 cadmium, 0/47). Cadmium alone did not further reduce the very low spontaneous liver and lung tumor incidence at approximately 1 year of age. DEN-induced lung tumor incidence (15/45) was also reduced by cadmium (DEN + 500 ppm cadmium, 11/42; DEN + 1000 ppm cadmium, 1/47) to control levels (0/48). In initiation studies, cadmium (20 or 22.5 mumol/kg, sc) was given to 5-week-old mice (n = 30-60) 2 weeks before an established promoting regimen of sodium barbital (BB) in drinking water at 500 ppm level was begun. Barbital in drinking water was given continuously for up to 92 weeks. Such cadmium doses caused acute, focal hepatic necrosis. Mice treated with BB and killed at 97 weeks of age showed an elevation of liver tumor multiplicity (7.44 tumors/liver) over control (2.24) that was prevented by cadmium in a dose-related manner (20 mumol/kg cadmium + BB, 3.93; 22.5 mumol/kg cadmium + BB, 1.87). Cadmium alone given by injection also reduced spontaneous liver tumor multiplicity. These results indicate that cadmium inhibits tumor formation in the B6C3F1 mouse liver initiation/promotion system regardless of route of exposure or sequence of administration. The possibility exists that cadmium has a specific toxicity toward previously initiated cells within liver and lung.

[The effect of CdCl2 and ZnCl2 on Dunn osteosarcoma].

Three murine sarcoma cells (Dunn osteosarcoma, Gunma clone-4, Sarcoma 1509a) were cultured for four days at various concentrations of CdCl2 or ZnCl2 and assayed for their viability. Dunn osteosarcoma was more sensitive to CdCl2 and less sensitive to ZnCl2 than the others. CdCl2 and ZnCl2 were weekly administered to C3H/He mice intraperitoneally from three days after the inoculation of Dunn osteosarcoma. The size of the tumors was measured twice a week for five weeks. CdCl2 suppressed the growth of the tumor, whereas ZnCl2 did not. These results suggest that CdCl2 has antitumor activity, especially against osteosarcoma.