Strain Differences in Susceptibility of Mice and Rats to Cadmium-Induced Testicular Damage

Abstract

The observations of Pa\l=r%v\\l=i' \zek& Zahor (1956) and Pa\l=r%v\\l=i' \zek (1957a, b) Zahor, 1956; Pa\l =r%v\\l =i ' \zek,1957a, b;Meek, 1959;Kar & Das, 1960;Gunn et al., 1961). Animals were killed 48 hr after the injection of cadmium.A total of 130 mature (8-week-old) male mice, composed of eighteen different inbred strains and one random bred strain (CD-1, derived from HaM/ICR Swiss mi ce)\s=deg\ were tested. Following the administration of CdCl2, necrosis was seen consistently in the random-bred CD-1 strain, as well as in ten of the inbred strains: AKR/J, CBA/J, C57BR/cdJ, C57L/J, C58/J, DBA/1J, DBA/2J, RF/J, SWR/J and 129/J. The SJL/J strain gave a variable response. Experiments with lower doses revealed that the amount of cadmium needed to produce minimal testicular damage varied within these susceptible strains.Seven of the inbred strains of mice showed no microscopic evidence of testicular damage from CdCl2: A/HeJ, A/J, BALB/cJ, C3H/HeJ, C3HeB/FeJ, C57BL/6J and C57BL/10J. Increasing the dose of cadmium to the lethal range still did not produce a testicular effect.

Cadmium Concentrations in Blood and Seminal Plasma: Correlations with Sperm Number and Motility in Three Male Populations (Infertility Patients, Artificial Insemination Donors, and Unselected Volunteers)

“…In contrast, genetic factors could account for only 13% of the variance in male blood cadmium levels (126). This question leads to the suggestion that mutations in specific genes might contribute to the cadmium burden in the reproductive tract of some infertile men and is supported by studies in animal models (127)(128)(129)(130)(131)(132).…”

Species differences in the renal toxicity of the antiarthritic drug, gold sodium thiomalate

“…In rodents, the testis is particularly sensitive to Cd, at dosages that do not cause hepatic damage (26). Several inbred strains of mice are resistant to Cd-induced testicular damage (27). More recent studies have shown that the C3H/He mice are more sensitive to Cd-induced hepatotoxicity than are the DBA/2 mice strain.…”

Comparative study on metallothionein induction in whole testicular tissue and isolated Leydig cells

“…In response to Cd, the testis undergoes massive necrosis. However, several strains of mice, which fail to develop testicular necrosis after Cd exposure, have been identified; they are termed Cd-resistant as opposed to the susceptible strains (Chiquone and Suntzeff 1965;Gunn et al 1965). It has been hypothesized that in rodents, administration of Cd induces Mt protein(s) in the testicular tissue and that this process diminishes the toxic effect on this organ by sequestering certain amounts of Cd (Nordberg 1971).…”