Inhibitory effect of cadmium on collagenous peptide synthesis of embryonic chick bone in tissue culture.

The effect of cadmium (Cd) on bone collagen synthesis was assessed in organ cultures of embryonic femur by measuring the incorporation of [3H]-proline(Pro) into collagenous-digestible protein (CDP) using purified bacterial collagenase. Cd produced a decrease when [3H]Pro ws incorporated in CDP. There was little alteration in the hydroxylation of [3H]Pro to [3H]hydroxyproline(Hyp) in CDP of Cd-treated bone. An accumulation of underhydroxylated collagen and a decrese in the activity of prolyl hydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.2) in Cd-treated bone was not observed. These reslts indicated that the inhibitory effect of Cd on collagen synthesis was largely due to inhibition of collagenous peptide synthesis without inhibition of its hydroxylation.