Effect of zinc on cadmium influx and toxicity in cultured CHO cells

Abstract
Addition of zinc lowers the toxicity level of cadmium in cultured CHO cells. Cell survival and protein synthesis were used to measure the cellular toxicity of cadmium.109Cd was used to measure cadmium uptake by the cells. The results suggest that these class IIB transition metals, zinc and cadmium, share a common transport mechanism. Thus, the antagonism appears to involve a reduction in the influx of cadmium due to the presence of zinc.