Cadmium induces apoptosis differentially on immune system cell lines.

We investigate the role of cadmium-induced apoptosis in the immune system, studying the apoptotic effect of Cd2+ in three human cell lines, the T-cell line CCRF-CEM, the B-cell line Raji and the lymphoblastoid cell line Molt-3. Cd2+ was found to be dose-dependently toxic for these cell lines, after 18 h incubation. The 50% lethal dose (LD50) for CCRF-CEM was 25 +/- 20 microM, for Molt-3 was 22.5 +/- 2.4 microM, and for Raji was 13.5 +/- 2.2 microM. DNA electrophoresis and quantitation of apoptosis after 18 h incubation with different Cd2+ concentrations was carried out. In CCRF-CEM cells, apoptosis was detected at 10 microM, reaching a maximum at 30 microM. In Molt-3, apoptosis was detected at 10 microM, increased thereafter and a plateau effect was observed from 30 to 50 microM Cd2+. In Raji, apoptosis was detected at 5 microM, while a plateau effect was observed from 20 to 30 microM Cd2+. The above results indicated that Raji cells were more sensitive to cadmium compared to both CCRF-CEM and Molt-3 cells, suggesting a differential Cd2+-induced apoptotic effect, which may disturb the immune system normal growth and development.