The effect of different acute concentrations of cadmium chloride on the frequency of micronuclei in AO rats

Cadmium (Cd) is highly toxic heavy metal which may cause severe biological effects in vivo and in vitro. In this study, an evaluation of the acute Cd ability to trigger micronuclei (MNi) formation was carried out on 3-monthold male and female Albino Oxford (AO) rats using micronucleus (MN) test. Experimental animals were treated intraperitoneally with three different concentrations of cadmium chloride (CdCl2): 0.5, 1, and 2 mg CdCl2 per kg of body weight. Control animals received equal volume of sterile phosphate buffered saline. The results showed that 2 mg CdCl2 per kg b.w. concentration caused a highly statistically significant (P < 0.001) increase in MNi formation in the bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs), exerting a clear-cut concentration-dependent effect. Lower concentrations of CdCl2 used (0.5 and 1 mg/kg b.w.) also caused MNi formation, but with lower statistical significance. Sex differences in MNi production in bone marrow PCEs after acute exposure to different experimental concentrations of CdCl2 were not observed in our study. Our results indicate the ability of CdCl2 to exerts genotoxic effects in bone marrow of AO rats, and complement previous data on the genotoxicity of this important environmental contaminant, burdening the body from different sources - major being industrial exposure, food and cigarette smoking.