| Objective: To study the feasibility of making animal model of amyotrphic lateral sclerosis using low dose chronic cadmium poisoning method in rats.Methods : Adult SD rats were treated with cadmium chloride (CdCl2) for 120 days. Motor nerve conduction velocity, the morphology changes of biceps femoris muscle and spinal motor neuron was studied with electrophysiological technique, light and electron microscopy. The content of cadmium in the spinal cord, the active change of CuZn-SOD1 and MDA was measured with the atomic absorption and biochemistry techniques .Results: 120 days after the Cd treatment in rats, the motor nerve conduction velocity were slow down. However, no obvious change was found in the diameter of biceps femoris muscle fibers between Cd and control group. The mean somatic areas of spinal motoneurons were decrease and the degranulation of ribosomes were found in some motoneurons. The content of Cd in spinal cord increased significantly after Cd exposure. The enzymatic activity of CuZn-SOD1 was weak and the content of MDA increased in Cd group.Conclusion: Chronic low dose Cd exposure can deposit in the spinal cord of adult rats. It may cause functional change in spinal motor neurons and motor nerve fibers, which can be the method to make the animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. |
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