Effect of Cadmium on Glucose, Lipid Profile and Oxidative Stress in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd), highly toxic heavy metal, has been considered as a possible risk factor for diabetes and its complications. However, the underlying mechanisms of Cd-induced diabetes are not clear. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of Cd on the oxidative system in the diabetic and non-diabetic rats. Rats were divided into the following groups of 8 animals each: control (C), diabetic (D), Cd-exposed (1 mg/kg/bw) and diabetic-exposed to Cd (1 mg/kg/bw) (D + Cd- exposed) groups. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (intraperitoneally (i.p.)) at a single dose of 60 mg/kg. Cd (i.p.) was administered 3 days after streptozotocin (STZ) administration to the end of the study. After 4-weeks, blood was drawn to determine the changes of glucose, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transfrase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities as well as the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipid profile. The results indicated that Cd exposure aggravated increased blood glucose, MDA, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C as well as decreased GSH levels and the activities of antioxidant enzymes in diabetic rats (p<0.001). These results suggest that Cd exposure deteriorates diabetic effect and its complications in STZ-diabetic model by induction of oxidative stress.