Changes of antioxidant defence system in the heart of rats treated with cadmium and coenzyme Q10

Abstract

The aim of our study was to investigate the activities of total superoxide dismutase (Total SOD), manganese containing superoxide dismutase (Mn SOD), copper zinc containing superoxide dismutase (CuZn SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) as well as ascorbic acid (AsA) and vitamin E (Vit E) concentrations in the heart of male, two months old Wistar albino rats. The animals were divided in four experimental groups: (1) controls (C), (2) treated with cadmium (Cd, 200 mg CdCl2 x H2O, in drinking water during 30 days), (3) treated with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, 20 mg/kg CoQ10 dissolved in olive oil, i.m., every fifth day) and (4) concomitantly treated with cadmium and coenzyme Q10 (Cd+CoQ10, 200 mg CdCl2 x H2O, in drinking water during 30 days + 20 mg/kg CoQ10 dissolved in olive oil, i.m., every fifth day). An average intake of 17 mg Cd/day/kg body mass was calculated from the water consumed and an average intake of CoQ10 was 16 mg/kg/dose. Each experimental group consisted of seven animals. After the treatment the rats were sacrificed by decapitation and heart tissue was isolated and prepared for analysis. The obtained results show that Cd in the heart induces a significant increase of Total SOD, CuZn SOD and GSH-Px activities as well as AsA and Vit E concentrations in comparison to the control rats. At the same time, treatment with Cd leads to a significant decrease of CAT and GR activities. In the heart of rats treated with CoQ10 a significant increase of Total SOD, Mn SOD, CuZn SOD and GSH-Px activities as well as AsA and Vit E concentrations were observed. In the same group of animals, the activities of CAT, GST and GR were significantly decreased in respect to the control rats. By concomitant treatment of rats with Cd+CoQ10 the activities of Total SOD and Mn SOD were markedly increased in relation to the controls, while CuZn SOD activity was significantly decreased. In the animals concomitantly treated with Cd+CoQ10 the activities of CAT and GR were significantly decreased, whereas GSH-Px activity and AsA and Vit E concentrations were significantly increased in relation to the control rats. From the presented results, it may be concluded that Cd and CoQ10 in the dosages administered influenced antioxidant defence system (AOS) in the heart of rats. The protective role of CoQ10 on AOS in the heart of rats against Cd toxicity was also observed.