Influence of ethanol on cadmium accumulation and its impact on lipid peroxidation and membrane bound functional enzymes (Na+, K(+)-ATPase and acetylcholinesterase) in various regions of adult rat brain

Influence of ethanol on cadmium accumulation and its effect on metallothionein induction, binding of cadmium to metallothionein, lipid peroxidation and membrane bound functional enzymes such as (Na(+)-K+)-ATPase and acetylcholinesterase in various regions of adult rat brain was investigated. Ethanol (2 g/kg body wt) and cadmium (1 mg/kg body wt) were administered alone as well as in combination to different groups of rats, i.p., for a period of 1 week. It was observed that cadmium when co-administered with ethanol led to pronounced increase in cadmium accumulation in various regions of the brain. This ethanol induced accumulation of cadmium did not induce the synthesis of metallothionein and also did not bind to this protein in brain and mainly was present as non-metallothionein bound cadmium. It lead to a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and inhibition of membrane bound functional enzymes; (Na(+)-K+)-ATPase and acetylcholinesterase in various regions of the brain indicating functional impairment. The results of the present study imply that ethanol renders the adult brain more susceptible to cadmium neurotoxicity. Corpus striatum and cerebral cortex are more vulnerable regions than other areas of the brain.