Biology Department, Faculty of Science, 125649Arak University, Arak, Iran.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Molecular and Medicine Research Center (MMRC), 48412Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
Hum Exp Toxicol. 2022 Jan-Dec;41:9603271221121796. doi: 10.1177/09603271221121796.
Lymphocytes are a group of white blood cells with a variety of roles their integrity is crucial for the body's immune responses. Cadmium, a heavy metal and environmental pollutant, is known as a toxicant to exert its adverse effects on some sort of cells including blood cells.
In this study, human lymphocytes were divided into 3 groups: (1) lymphocytes at 0-h, (2) lymphocytes at 24 h (control), (3) lymphocytes treated with cadmium chloride (15 μM). Lymphocyte viability and plasma membrane integrity were assessed in these groups. In addition, the occurrence of apoptosis was investigated by assessment of nucleus diameter and flow cytometry. Activation of caspase-3 was also detected by immunocytochemistry.
Result showed that lymphocyte's viability and plasma membrane integrity decreased in lymphocytes treated with cadmium as compared with the control group. Decreased nucleus diameter and result of flow cytometry demonstrated cadmium-induced apoptosis in human lymphocytes. Furthermore, lymphocytes treated with cadmium displayed intensely activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity in their cytoplasm.
In conclusion, cadmium not only negatively effect on viability and plasma membrane, but also induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in human lymphocytes.
淋巴细胞是一组具有多种功能的白细胞，其完整性对于人体的免疫反应至关重要。镉是一种重金属和环境污染物，已知对某些细胞（包括血细胞）具有毒性作用，从而产生不良影响。
在这项研究中，将人类淋巴细胞分为 3 组：（1）0 小时的淋巴细胞；（2）24 小时的淋巴细胞（对照组）；（3）用氯化镉（15μM）处理的淋巴细胞。评估了这些组中淋巴细胞活力和质膜完整性。此外，通过细胞核直径评估和流式细胞术研究了细胞凋亡的发生。还通过免疫细胞化学检测了 caspase-3 的激活。
结果表明，与对照组相比，镉处理的淋巴细胞的活力和质膜完整性下降。细胞核直径减小和流式细胞术的结果表明镉诱导了人类淋巴细胞的凋亡。此外，用镉处理的淋巴细胞在细胞质中显示出强烈的激活的 caspase-3 免疫反应性。
总之，镉不仅对活力和质膜有负面影响，而且还诱导人类淋巴细胞中的 caspase 依赖性细胞凋亡。
