The Pancreotoxic Effects Of Cadmium

Cadmium (Cd) is a hazardous metal with a long half-life and could affect multiple systems and organs in human. Its harm mainly comes from the environmental pollution made by industrial uses. In our country, many workers are exposed to cadmium, and the problem caused by the environmental exposure to cadmium is prominent. Recently, the study about risk factors of pancreatic diseases has been attracted importance to scientists, because the incidence of diabetes and the cancer of pancreas are increasing. There is few systemic studies concerning cadmium adverse effect on pancreas, and the underlying mechanisms of this effect is unknown. In the present study, the endocrine and exocrine dysfunction of pancreas has been investigated in the populations occupationally exposed to cadmium, including the relationship between pancreatic and renal dysfunction. The pancreatic toxic effects and neprotoxicity, cause by cadmium, was revealed in populations suffered from DM. And the mechanisms were explored through animal experiments.The smelters from Zhuzhou located in Hunan were selected as occupationally cadmium exposed group and the diabetic subject were come from the community of Shanghai. The concentration of blood cadmium and urinary cadmium was used as the exposure biomarkers. The levels of insulin and amylase in serum were determined as the effect biomarkers of pancreas. Urinary β₂Vmicroglobulin (UMG), N-acetyl- β -D-glucosaminidase (UNAG), metallothionein (UMT) and albumin (UALB) were measured as effect biomarkers of renal dysfunction. The method of BMD was used to analyse the relationship between the dysfunction of pancreas and the damage of kidney caused by Cd-exposure . And animals were exposed to Cd both by s.i. and drinking water for acute and chronic study. Using semi-quantitative RT-PCR, in rats pancreas were measured the gene expression of MT, INS and AMY2AThere was significant increase of blood cadmium and urinary cadmium in exposed groups than control group. Serum insulin statistically significantly decreased with the increasing urinary cadmium, but not for amylase. The prevenlance of hypoinsulinism and hypo-amylase elavated with the increment of urinary cadmium. The dose response relationships were found between UCd and both insulin and amyalse. The BMDL of UCd was estimated as 3.904 u g/g creatinine hypoinsulinism, which was lower than the BMDL of UCd (3.977 μg/g creatinine) that was harmful to...