Abstract
Major source for human exposure to cadmium nitrate (Cd(NO3)2) is from smoking and occupational hazard. Cd(NO3)2-induced neurotoxicity and related mechanism in neurons are still unknown. Here, Cd(NO3)2 induced cytotoxicity in a concentration- and time-dependent manners on Neuro-2A (N2A) neurons. Genotoxicity, which included micronucleus formation and DNA damage, and caspases, which included caspase-3, -8 and -9, activities were increased by Cd(NO3)2 in a concentration-dependent manner. The concentration trends of Cd(NO3)2: 1, 3 and 10 μM, were similar in the significant induction of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity and the up-regulation of the activities of caspase-3, -8, -9. In conclusion, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were induced by Cd(NO3)2 via caspases activities on neurons.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.
The authors would like to thank the Changhua Christian Hospital and Chung Shan Medical University of the Republic of China, Taiwan, for financially supporting this research under Contract No. CSMU-CCH-104-02. We also thank the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, for financially supporting this research under Contract No. MOST 104-2320-B-040-006.