Cadmium Toxicity: Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Tissue Injury

Cadmium is a known environmental pollutant targeting various organs. Often implicated in cadmium toxicology is the formation of reactive oxygen species, overwhelming the free radical scavenging mechanisms and inducing oxidative stress. Acute cadmium intoxication has been shown to reduce antioxidant enzyme activity and induce oxidative stress. However, chronic intoxication has obscure outcomes in oxidative stress while the cell makes adjustments to overcome the toxicant load. Also linked with the occurrence of oxidative stress is inflammation. Stimulation of acute or chronic inflammation is mediated by different cascades. However, key events include activation of transcription factor, NF-κB and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Both oxidative stress and inflammation are implicated simultaneously in pathogenesis and induction of multi-organ tissue damage under cadmium exposure. This article reviews the impact of acute and chronic cadmium intoxication on inducing oxidative stress, inflammation and thereby inflicting tissue damage.