The Effects of Sublethal Cadmium Treatment on Adrenocortical Morphology and Serum Aldosterone Levels in Female Juvenile Balb/c Mice

Abstract

Histological and functional changes in the adrenal glands, as one of the major target organs for cadmium (Cd) bioaccumulation, were investigated in female juvenile BALB/c mice. Single intraperitoneal administration of CdCl,*5H,0 in doses of 0.1 and 1.0 mg Cd/Kg body weight were given to two test groups, while a third group, serving as control, was given normal saline solution. Adrenal glands from each mouse were excised, sectioned, and examined under light microscopy. While both Cd-treated groups had decreased zona glomerulosa width as compared with the control group, the mice with a higher Cd dosage demonstrated the most reduction in all the adrenocortical zone widths. However, serum aldosterone levels did not vary among the three groups. Thus, sublethal levels of Cd (at about 1 mg/kg body weight) can elicit morphological changes in the murine adrenal glomerulosa without apparently affecting hormonal secretion rates.