Cadmium accumulation in the lung, liver and kidney of mice and rats chronically exposed to cigarette smoke

Abstract

Cigarette smoking constitutes a major source of cadmium exposure via inhalation in man. To determine how smoke exposure affects the organ distribution and accumulation of cadmium, male C57B1 mice and Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed daily for 52-60 consecutive weeks to mainstream smoke from the University of Kentucky reference cigarettes (2R1) in a nose-only exposure system. Exposed mice and rats averaged blood carboxyhemoglobin values of 17.7 and 7.2%, and a daily total particulate matter (TPM) dose of 7.2 and 3.2 mg kg-1 body wt. per exposure, respectively. These results suggested effective inhalation of smoke by the animals. The tissues were acid digested and analyzed for cadmium by atomic absorption spectrometry. Cadmium levels 5-6- and 2-3-fold greater than control levels were detected in the lungs and kidneys, respectively, of exposed animals of both species. In contrast, the liver did not show increased cadmium levels in exposed mice or rats. The data suggest that low-dose chronic inhalation exposure to cigarette smoke leads to highest cadmium accumulation in the lung, followed by the kidney, with minimal effects on cadmium levels in the liver.

Is Urinary Cadmium a Biomarker of Long-term Exposure in Humans? A Review

“…Conversely, studies in rodents showed that inhalation of cigarette smoke caused an increase of Cd in lung and kidney tissue, but not in the liver [38]. It was later shown that induction of metallothionein, a low molecular weight protein with a tertiary structure forming alpha and beta domains of metal clusters [3], explained the redistribution of Cd from the liver to the kidneys [39–41].…”

Smoking-induced increase in urinary cadmium levels among Japanese women

“…DCd-U ob , Da 1 -MG-U ob and Db 2 -MG-U ob show the AM of the increment in Cd-U ob , a 1 -MG-U ob and b 2 -MG-U ob , respectively, of current smokers over age-and region-matched controls. See text for statistical significance of differences among values (Gairola and Wagner 1991). The observation suggests that Cd in the smoke reaches kidneys after absorption in the lungs in experimental animals.…”

Determination of toxic elements in different brands of cigarette by atomic absorption spectrometry using ultrasonic assisted acid digestion

“…Nickel dermatitis is one of the common forms of allergic contact dermatitis, with approximately 6% of the population being allergic to nickel. It was reported in literature that Cd and Pb have long biological half lives, they accumulate in bone, blood, lung, kidney, and various other organs (Gairola and Wagner 1991).…”