关键词: 镉, 肾, HO-1, mRNA, 免疫组织化学

Abstract: BACKGROUND ＆ AIM: To observe the changes of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expressed in renal cortex of rats with acute cadmium exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 24 male SD rats were divided randomly into 4 groups. There were a control group and the three experimental groups received daily intraperitoneal injections of CdCl2 (0.4,0.8,1.6 mg/kg) for five days. 0.9％ NaCl substituted for CdCl2 in control. The specimens of kidney were prepared to measure the expression of HO-1 by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry technique on the fifth day after injection. RESULTS: The physical expression of HO-1 was detected in control group. The levels of expressed mRNA in 0.8 and 1.6 mg/kg groups increased dramatically (P<0.05) compared with the control while the mRNA concentration of 0.4 mg/kg group was equal to the control. A dose-effect relationship between the cadmium exposure and expression of HO-1 mRNA(r=0.97,P<0.05)was also found. Analysis of immunohistochemistry showed that changes of protein expression was more sensitive than mRNA in all three groups compared with the control(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The acute exposure to cadmium could induce HO-1 expression in renal cortex of rats and this might provide potential protection.

Key words: cadmium, kidney, mRNA, immunohistochemistry