A Study of The Effect of Cadmıum Toxicity on Serum Proteins and It's relation to Proteinuria in Male Rats

Male Wistar rats were injected daily for 40 days with varying doses of cadmium (0.25 to 2 mg/kg) as CdCl2 i.p. At the time of experiments animals were anaesthetized and blood samples were withdrawn from their hearts. As the renal function tests serum urea and creatinine concentrations were determined. Administration of 0.25 or 2 mg of Cadmium lead to the elevation of serum urea by 194 or 316% and serum creatinine by 14 and 90% respectively. When 1 mg/kg of cadmium was administered daily for 75 days, it was found that serum urea and creatinine concentrations were elevated by 280 and 80% respectively, confirming renal damage by cadmium intoxification. Serum protein was decreased whereas urine proteins were elevated significantly in cadmium treated rats. Serum samples from both cadmium treated and untreated animals were electrophoresed on 10% SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using discontinuous buffering system. It was observed that there was gradual disappearance of alpha-2 and beta 1 globulin bands from electrophoretic pattern. Instead a single sharp band was observed between beta 2 and gamma globulins only in the serum protein pattern of 2 mg/kg cadmium treated animals. The relationship between cadmium toxicity and proteinuria is discussed in some detail.