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A Study on the Effect of Cadmium on Human Lung Fibroblasts^*

^* From the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medical Section, Omaha, NE.

Correspondence to: Xiang-der Liu, MD, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medical Section, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 600 South 42nd Street, Omaha, NE 68198-5300

	Introduction

TOP Introduction

 
Abbreviations: CdCl₂ = cadmium chloride; HFL-1 = human fetal lung fibroblast

Cadmium is one of the contaminants of tobacco and may play a role in cigarette smoking-related emphysema. Consistent with such a role, chronic inhalation of cadmium in the workplace is also associated with emphysema. We hypothesized that the action of cadmium may be via direct effects on fibroblasts, leading to decreased proliferation and compromised repair. In this study, we investigated the effect of cadmium chloride (CdCl₂) on fibroblast proliferation, attachment to extracellular matrix, chemotaxis in the Boyden blindwell chamber, contraction of native type I collagen gels, fibronectin production, and type I procollagen messenger RNA expression by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. CdCl₂-inhibited human fetal lung fibroblast (HFL-1) proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in response to 4% serum (concentration of 50% inhibition = 10–12.5 µm). Cadmium also decreased cell adhesion to fibronectin (reduced 62.18 ± 0.85%; p < 0.01) and chemotaxis towards fibronectin (35.7 ± 5.7 vs 3.3 ± 1.1 cells/high-powered field; p < 0.01). Contractility of type I collagen gels was significantly decreased in the CdCl₂-pretreated HFL-1 cells (final size 28.7 ± 1.5% vs 68.5 ± 0.5% of original size; p < 0.001). However, cadmium (20 µm for 48 h in the absence of serum) did not affect fibronectin production or type I procollagen messenger RNA expression. These data thus indicate that cadmium may directly impair connective tissue repair processes and may contribute to the development of emphysema associated with cigarette smoking or chronic inhalation of cadmium fumes.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Free Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Article Archive Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Liu, X.-d. Articles by Rennard, S. I. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Liu, X.-d. Articles by Rennard, S. I.