Cadmium Induced Changes in Gluconeogenic Enzymes in Rat Kidney and Liver

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered cadmium chloride 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 ppm for 30 days. At the end of the treatments, the body weight gains, serum glucose, serum protein, serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) were determined. Renal and hepatic key gluconeogenic enzymes; viz., pyruvate carboxylase, phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase, fructose-1, 6-diphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase were also determined. A significant decrease in body weight gain in rats treated with cadmium was observed. The serum glucose and protein levels were increased in rats receiving cadmium through feed. All four key gluconeogenic enzymes were increased in both kidney and liver tissues of rats treated with cadmium. The present results indicate that cadmium may induce gluconeogenesis from non-carbohydrate sources.