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Toxicological consequences of cadmium oxide exposure in the rat lung

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5216217
A system for the inhalation exposure of rats to CdO aerosols has been developed in order to study CdO-induced lung pathology in an experimental animal model. A correlative approach was taken in evaluating the morphological, biochemical and functional responses following exposure to two different doses of CdO aerosols. Acute exposure to CdO aerosols results in damage to pulmonary epithelium followed by epithelial hyperplasia and inflammatory cell influx. Lung injury produced by the low dose exposure (0.5 mg/m/sup 3/ x 180 min) was found to be reversible, while injury produced by the high dose exposure (5.0 mg/m/sup 3/ x 180 min) resulted in the development of peribronchiolar fibrosis. Biochemical responses of CdO exposure included dose-dependent increases in glutathione-related enzymes; i.e. glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD). When enzymatic activities were normalized for numbers of lung cells (as determined by lung DNA content), part of the enhancement of enzymatic activities could be attributed to increased total numbers of cells in the lung.
Research Organization:
Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (USA)
OSTI ID:
5216217
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English