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Weakness in the mechanical properties of the femurs of growing female rats exposed to cadmium

Archives of Toxicology volume 79, pages 519–530 (2005)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 06 December 2006

Abstract

The study assessed the effect of cadmium (Cd) intoxication on the risk of deformities and fractures of the growing bones of female rats, in order to model human exposure to this metal. For this purpose, bone mineral density and mechanical properties of the proximal and distal ends and diaphysis of the femur were investigated in female Wistar rats exposed to 1, 5 and 50 mg Cd/l in drinking water for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after the onset of weaning. Daily Cd doses received from drinking water during the treatment period were in the following ranges: 0.059–0.219, 0.236–1.005 and 2.247–9.649 mg/kg body weight at 1, 5 and 50 mg Cd/l, respectively. Biomechanical properties of the femoral proximal and distal ends were evaluated in a compression test, and those of the femoral diaphysis in a cutting test, with loading perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bone in all tests. The mineralization and mechanical properties of the bone tissue at various locations on the femur were affected by exposure to Cd in a dose- and duration-dependent manner. Exposure to 1 mg Cd/l (corresponding to low human exposure) during skeletal development weakened the fracture strength of the femoral neck and the trabecular bone at the level of the distal end of the femur and affected the elastic properties of the cortical bone at the femoral diaphysis. At higher levels of Cd exposure, adverse effects were generally observed after a shorter exposure period than for 1 mg Cd/l, and were more advanced. The cadmium-induced weakening of the biomechanical properties of bone at particular sites on the femur correlated with the decreased bone mineralization. The results indicate that even a low exposure to Cd may affect the mineralization and biomechanical properties of growing bone, thus enhancing the risk of fracture.

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Acknowledgements

The present study was supported by the Grant (No. 6PO5D 093 20) from the Committee for Scientific Research (KBN, Poland). The experiment complies with the current laws of Poland.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Toxicology, Medical University of Białystok, Mickiewicza 2c, Białystok, 15-222, Poland

    Małgorzata M. Brzóska & Janina Moniuszko-Jakoniuk

  2. Chair of Food Plant Chemistry and Processing, Faculty of Food Science, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Cieszyński 1, 10-957, Olsztyn, Poland

    Katarzyna Majewska

Authors
  1. Małgorzata M. Brzóska
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  2. Katarzyna Majewska
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  3. Janina Moniuszko-Jakoniuk
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Małgorzata M. Brzóska.

Additional information

The results were presented in part at the XII Congress of the Polish Osteoarthrology Society and Polish Foundation of Osteoporosis, Cracow, Poland, 9–11 October 2003, with the abstract published in Osteoporosis International, 2003, 14(Suppl 6):2.

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00204-006-0158-1

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Brzóska, M.M., Majewska, K. & Moniuszko-Jakoniuk, J. Weakness in the mechanical properties of the femurs of growing female rats exposed to cadmium. Arch Toxicol 79, 519–530 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-005-0659-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-005-0659-3

Keywords

  • Cadmium
  • Bone mineral density
  • Biomechanical testing
  • Femur
  • Rats