Expression of apoptotic nuclei by ultrastructural terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling and detection of FasL, caspases and PARP protein molecules in cadmium induced acute alveolar cell injury

Cadmium causes cellular damage but the exact mechanism of apoptosis in cadmium induced acute lung injury is not clear. We investigated the sequential expression of apoptotic nuclei and detected related molecules in tissue of cadmium-induced acute lung injury. Forty Sprague–Dawley rats were sacrificed at days 1, 3, 7 and 10 after intra-tracheal cadmium injection (2.5 mg/kg). Light microscopic, ultrastructural terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), and Western blot analysis for detection of FasL, Bid, cytochrome c, caspase 3 and PARP were carried out. Apoptosis occurred at day 1, and markedly decreased at days 3, 7 and 10 (11.8, 2.8, 0.9, 0.5%, respectively) determined by light microscopy and TUNEL assay. Ultrastructural TUNEL revealed two patterns of nuclear morphology according to the apoptotic stage. One pattern showed chromatin fragmentation and apoptotic nuclear body formation. The other pattern had bleb formation in the chromatin, budding with projection out to the nuclear membranes, fragmentation, segregation of chromatin clumps and apoptotic body formation. Western blot analysis showed prominent expression of FasL at days 1 and 3. Expression of Bid, cytochrome c and caspase 3 were prominent at day 1 compared to days 3, 7 and 10. PARP cleavage was prominent at day 1. In conclusion, intra-tracheal cadmium injection showed active alveolar cell apoptosis at day 1. Ultrastructural TUNEL showed various expressions according to the apoptotic nuclear stage. These studies suggest that cadmium-induced alveolar cell apoptosis is mediated by FasL and caspase-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis pathways.