Enhancement of rat and human phagocyte superoxide anion radical production by cadmium in vitro.

The mechanism by which cadmium produced oxidizing effects in vivo is unknown. We show that cadmium enhances the production of superoxide anion radical (O-(2) .), a reactive oxygen species, in digitonin-stimulated phagocytes from man and rat. Cadmium concentrations ranging from 3.6 X 10(-2)M to 3.6 X 10(-4)M inhibited O-(2) . production in rat alveolar macrophages or human granulocytes. However, when activated in the presence of 3.6 X 10(-5)M cadmium, the production of O-(2) . was increased by a factor of 2.11 +/- 0.25 above control levels in human granulocytes and 3.6 +/- 0.62 above control levels in rat alveolar macrophages. This effect by levels of cadmium within the range of those occurring during in vivo toxicity might provide an explanation for the oxidizing effects of this metal ion.