COMPARATIVE-STUDIES OF IN-VIVO GENOTOXIC EFFECTS OF CADMIUM CHLORIDE IN RAT-BRAIN, KIDNEY AND LIVER-CELLS

Cadmium chloride-induced DNA damage was investigated in individual bra in, kidney and liver cells isolated from rats gavaged 14 mg/kg/day cad mium chloride. Animals were sacrificed on days 2, 4, 8, 16, and 33, an d DNA damage was determined using the recently developed alkaline micr ogel electrophoresis technique. Data for DNA migration from 50 randoml y selected cells clearly show significant increases in DNA damage in c ells from three different organs of cadmium chloride gavaged animals c ompared to saline treated control animals (33 day control, brain 64.7 +/- 5.3, kidney 75.5 +/- 9.4, liver 67.9 +/- 5.7 mu m; 33 days experim ental, brain 284.3 +/- 16.9, kidney 397.9 +/- 11.3, liver 315 +/- 22.5 mu m; these values represent length of exposure in days and length of DNA migration in micron). There was an increase in DNA damage for all three cell types, with increasing duration of treatment. Cadmium (CdC l2) induced levels of DNA single strand breaks were more pronounced in kidney cells than in cells from the other two organs. Body and organ weights decreased of treated animals were decreased as compared to con trol. Results of this study indicate a potential of cadmium to be a ge notoxic compound.