The aim of the present study was to verify whether cadmium (Cd), at environmental concentrations, influences the pituitary-adrenal activity of the newt, Triturus carnifex. Newts were exposed to 5 µg and 20 µg doses of cadmium (limits fixed by Italian laws in drinking and surface waters, respectively) during 3 months. The effects of cadmium were observed in the serum levels of ACTH, aldosterone, corticosterone, norepinephrine and epinephrine. At both doses, ACTH and corticosterone serum levels decreased, whereas aldosterone serum levels increased. Epinephrine serum levels increased whereas norepinephrine serum levels remained unchanged. The results of the present study show that cadmium, at environmental concentrations, behaves as an endocrine disruptor influencing the pituitary-adrenal activity of the newt. This suggests that cadmium could contribute to amphibian decline.
The pituitary-adrenal gland activity of Triturus carnifex (Amphibia, Urodela) exposed to environmental cadmium concentrations / Gay, Flaminia; Laforgia, Vincenza; Capaldo, Anna; Esposito, C; Caputo, I.. - (2012), pp. 1459-1461. (Intervento presentato al convegno First Virtual International Conference on Advanced Research in Scientific Fields tenutosi a http://www.arsa-conf.com. nel 3-7/12/2012).
The pituitary-adrenal gland activity of Triturus carnifex (Amphibia, Urodela) exposed to environmental cadmium concentrations
GAY, FLAMINIA;LAFORGIA, VINCENZA;CAPALDO, ANNA;
2012
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to verify whether cadmium (Cd), at environmental concentrations, influences the pituitary-adrenal activity of the newt, Triturus carnifex. Newts were exposed to 5 µg and 20 µg doses of cadmium (limits fixed by Italian laws in drinking and surface waters, respectively) during 3 months. The effects of cadmium were observed in the serum levels of ACTH, aldosterone, corticosterone, norepinephrine and epinephrine. At both doses, ACTH and corticosterone serum levels decreased, whereas aldosterone serum levels increased. Epinephrine serum levels increased whereas norepinephrine serum levels remained unchanged. The results of the present study show that cadmium, at environmental concentrations, behaves as an endocrine disruptor influencing the pituitary-adrenal activity of the newt. This suggests that cadmium could contribute to amphibian decline.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
