Accumulation and chemical forms of cadmium and its effect on essential metals in rat spleen and pancreas.

Cadmium was injected sc into female Wistar rats at a dose of 3.0 mg Cd/kg body weight, 4 times a week for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 wk. Concentrations of cadmium in the spleen and pancreas were determined, together with essential metals, by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Cadmium in both tissues increased even after maximum concentration was attained in the liver. Contents of zinc, calcium, and magnesium in the spleen increased with splenomegaly, while content of iron decreased. Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and iron decreased in the pancreas, while concentration of zinc showed a transitory increase. Cadmium in the spleen and pancreas supernatants was mostly bound to metallothionein, and metallothionein in the pancreas was highly susceptible to oxidation reaction. The spleen and pancreas were histologically less affected by cadmium loading compared to the liver and kidney, and the pancreas showed only slight alterations after injections for 5 and 6 wk.