ANALYSIS OF CHRONIC EFFECTS OF CADMIUM CHLORIDE ON NEPHROGENESIS IN RATS

Abstract

Basic clinical, morphological and statistical studies identify cadmium as one of the causes of toxic kidney damage and a number of diseases that overcomes the placental barrier. Determining the changes that occur in the morphology of organs under the impact of cadmium chloride in pregnant female rats is an urgent task for modern morphological research. Objectives. In this work, we investigate the nephrotoxic effects of chronic cadmium chloride exposure in pregnant rats in experiment. Material and methods. Pregnant rats with confirmed gestational age were administered a 2.0 mg/kg cadmium chloride solution daily via intragastric gavage. Surgical removal of the kidneys was performed on days 13 and 19 of gestation for subsequent analysis. We determined the kidney mass and assessed nephron elements on histological preparations. These measurements included the diameter of the renal corpuscle, the nephron capsule area, the glomerulus area, and their ratio (glomerulus area index). Results and discussion. Chronic exposure to cadmium chloride in a dose of 2.0 mg/kg reduced the weight of the kidneys in pregnant females at both periods of the study. At the histological level, an increase of the nephron capsule was found in combination with fragmentary sclerosis of glomerular capillaries that indicates the nephrotoxic effect of cadmium chloride in the indicated dose in the experiment on rats. The nephron area index of the kidneys of female rats with chronic exposure to cadmium had a pronounced tendency to decrease the area of the nephron capsule with a significant difference (p<0.001) at both time points. Conclusion. Chronic cadmium chloride exposure resulted in reduced kidney weight in females. Histological examination revealed enlarged nephron capsules alongside glomerular capillary sclerosis, indicating the nephrotoxic effect of the administered dose in this rat experiment. Notably, the nephron area index displayed a consistent decline in the area of the nephron capsule at both time points in cadmium-exposed female ras.