Cadmium (Cd) is a common environmental pollutant and occupational toxicant that seriously affects various mammalian organs, especially the kidney. Iron ion is an essential trace element in the body, and the disorder of iron metabolism is involved in the development of multiple pathological processes. An iron overload can induce a new type of cell death, defined as ferroptosis. However, whether iron metabolism is abnormal in Cd-induced nephrotoxicity and the role of ferroptosis in Cd-induced nephrotoxicity need to be further elucidated. Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly assigned into three groups: a control group, a 50 mg/L CdCl2-treated group, and a 75 mg/L CdCl2-treated group by drinking water for 1 month and 6 months, respectively. The results showed that Cd could induce renal histopathological abnormalities and dysfunction, disrupt the mitochondria's ultrastructure, and increase the ROS and MDA content. Next, Cd exposure caused GSH/GPX4 axis blockade, increased FTH1 and COX2 expression, decreased ACSL4 expression, and significantly decreased the iron content in proximal tubular cells or kidney tissues. Further study showed that the expression of iron absorption-related genes SLC11A2, CUBN, LRP2, SLC39A14, and SLC39A8 decreased in proximal tubular cells or kidneys after Cd exposure, while TFRC and iron export-related gene SLC40A1 did not change significantly. Moreover, Cd exposure increased SLC11A2 gene expression and decreased SLC40A1 gene expression in the duodenum. Finally, NAC or Fer-1 partially alleviated Cd-induced proximal tubular cell damage, while DFO and Erastin further aggravated Cd-induced cell damage. In conclusion, our results indicated that Cd could cause iron deficiency and chronic kidney injury by interfering with the iron metabolism rather than typical ferroptosis. Our findings suggest that an abnormal iron metabolism may contribute to Cd-induced nephrotoxicity, providing a novel approach to preventing kidney disease in clinical practice.
Keywords: cadmium; ferroptosis; iron metabolism; kidney; proximal tubular cells.