Toxic effects of cadmium on the developing rat lung. II. Glycogen and phospholipid metabolism

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982 · J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15287398209530141· OSTI ID:5009696

Daston, G P

Maternal exposure to Cd reduces lung weight and alters pulmonary surfactant accumulation in the fetus. This may lead to respiratory distress and death postnatally. In this study, the effects of maternal Cd administration on additional biochemical parameters of the fetal lung were investigated. Pregnant rats were given sc injections of 8 mg/kg CdCl/sub 2/ on d 12-15 of gestation and sacrificed throughout late gestation. Fetal lungs were examined for protein, DNA, and glycogen. Incorporation of choline into total and disaturated phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin were measured in fetal lung slices. The DNA content of the treated lungs was reduced, but the protein/DNA ratio was not altered. Thus the reduced lung weight was due to hypoplasia, not hypotrophy. Incorporation of choline into pulmonary sphingomyelin was not altered by the treatment. Choline incorporation into both total and disaturated phosphatidylcholine, the most important surfactant component, was reduced on the final days of gestation. Glycogen was reduced in both absolute quantity and cellular concentration in lungs of treated fetuses. Glucose derived from glycogen is a major metabolic substrate in the fetal lung and probably contributes greatly to phospholipid synthesis. The reduction in glucose concentration in lungs of treated fetuses may be a factor in the diminished synthesis of pulmonary surfactant phosphatidylcholine before birth. Prenatal Cd exposure causes pulmonary hypoplasia; reduces the amount of glycogen present in the fetal lung; and diminishes the rate of synthesis of pulmonary surfactant phosphatidylcholine.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
• OSTI ID: 5009696
• Journal Information: J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States), Vol. 9:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CADMIUM
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
FETUSES
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
LUNGS
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHOLINE
DNA
GLYCOGEN
METABOLISM
PHOSPHOLIPIDS
PREGNANCY
RATS
ALCOHOLS
AMINES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
ANIMALS
BODY
CARBOHYDRATES
DRUGS
ELEMENTS
ESTERS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KINETICS
LIPIDS
LIPOTROPIC FACTORS
MAMMALS
METALS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
POLYSACCHARIDES
QUATERNARY COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
SACCHARIDES
VERTEBRATES
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)