Hudson Kathleen M, Dameris Logan, Lichtler Rebecca, Cowley Michael
Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
Genetics Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
Dis Model Mech. 2025 Jun 1;18(6). doi: 10.1242/dmm.052038. Epub 2025 Jun 9.
Cadmium (Cd) is a naturally occurring toxic heavy metal found ubiquitously throughout the environment. Anthropogenic activities since the onset of industrialization have led to widespread environmental contamination that has substantially increased human exposure and associated health risks. As one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern of the World Health Organization, Cd poses significant risks to human health, particularly when exposure occurs during the critical stages of development. Cd accumulates in the placenta and can be detected in cord blood and fetal and neonatal tissues, so it is crucial to understand the consequences of early-life Cd exposure and the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this Review, we provide an overview of the models currently used to study developmental Cd exposure and integrate the findings from epidemiological, animal and in vitro studies. We explore the impacts and mechanisms of early-life Cd exposure on the placenta, growth and development, and organ systems, identifying common themes across diverse model systems. Finally, we pinpoint knowledge gaps and propose key research priorities that will advance our understanding and inform mitigation strategies for reducing the developmental risks of Cd exposure.
镉（Cd）是一种天然存在的有毒重金属，在环境中普遍存在。自工业化开始以来的人为活动导致了广泛的环境污染，这大幅增加了人类接触镉的机会以及相关的健康风险。作为世界卫生组织主要关注的十大化学品之一，镉对人类健康构成重大风险，尤其是在发育的关键阶段接触镉时。镉会在胎盘中蓄积，并可在脐带血以及胎儿和新生儿组织中检测到，因此了解生命早期镉暴露的后果及其潜在分子机制至关重要。在本综述中，我们概述了目前用于研究发育过程中镉暴露的模型，并整合了流行病学、动物和体外研究的结果。我们探讨了生命早期镉暴露对胎盘、生长发育和器官系统的影响及机制，确定了不同模型系统中的共同主题。最后，我们指出知识空白，并提出关键研究重点，这将增进我们的理解，并为制定减轻镉暴露发育风险的缓解策略提供依据。
