Reversibility effects on renal and hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes in rats from chronic exposure of cadmium.

The reversibility of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) effects on renal and hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes in rats was studied by removal of CdCl2 from the diet. Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats were continuously treated with 0, 25, 50, and 75 ppm CdCl2 mixed in powdered diet for 180 d. After this period of chronic exposure, all treated rats were kept on CdCl2-free diet for another period of 180 d. The CdCl2 induced serum glucose and activities of glucose 6-phosphatase, fructose 1, 6-bisphosphatase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase reversed to the levels of control values 120 d after the rats were fed with CdCl2-free diet. There were no significant differences in measured enzyme activities either 120 or 180 d after the cessation of CdCl2 treatment. The data indicate that CdCl2 effects on gluconeogenesis will gradually recover with time when the metal is removed from the diet.