Effect of cadmium chloride on the rat testicular soluble selenoenzyme, glutathione peroxidase.

Thirty-six hours after male rats were injected with 25 mumoles cadmium chloride/ml/kg of body weight they exhibited decreased plasma and testicular glutathione (GSH) peroxidase activity, testicular atrophy and necrosis, and increased testicular thiobarbituric acid-reactive products. Seven days after injection, only the plasma GSH peroxidase activity returned to normal. The decrease in testicular GSH peroxidase activity was not reversible by dialysis against buffer or by the addition of selenium as buffered selenomethionine. In vitro inhibition of testicular GSH peroxidase activity occurred at 0.3 mM cadmium. All in vivo effects were prevented by a prior injection of 25 mumoles sodium selenite/ml/kg of body weight. Testicular GSH peroxidase may be the direct or indirect target of cadmium-induced testicular damage, and this damage results in lipid peroxidation.