CHELATION OF CADMIUM FROM METALLOTHIONEIN INVIVO AND ITS EXCRETION IN RATS REPEATEDLY INJECTED WITH CADMIUM CHLORIDE

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 222  (3) , 699-704
Abstract
Chelation and removal of Cd from rats which were exposed to Cd by multiple injections were studied in vivo after injection of 2 different compounds, 2,3-dimercaptopropanol (BAL) and diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA). Rats were injected i.p. with 1 mg of Cd/kg as 109CdCl2 daily for 4 days, and 3 days after the last injection, they were treated with the chelating agents alone or in combination 5 days in a week for 2 wk. BAL (50 mg/kg) alone or in combination with DTPA (50 mg/kg) was effective in removing Cd from the body without increasing the level of Cd in the kidney, the critical organ in Cd toxicity. After treatment with BAL alone and BAL-DTPA, Cd was excreted mainly in the feces with marked decrease in hepatic and renal concentrations of both Cd and metallothionein. Injection of DTPA alone increased the urinary excretion of Cd without any significant change in tissue Cd. Although the urinary excretion of Zn was increased after injection of DTPA and also BAL-DTPA, there was no change in the tissue levels of Zn and Cu. The results of this study suggest the potential use of BAL or BAL-DTPA combination as a mode of chelation of Cd from the body under proper experimental conditions in chronic Cd poisoning. It may be possible to prevent tubular damage in the kidney, the critical organ in Cd toxicity, by this treatment.