Decreased copper content in rat kidney metallothionein and its relation to acute cadmium nephropathy.

Repeated s.c. injections of cadmium chloride into rats (3 mg Cd/kg body weight, 4 times a week) caused acute and transitory tubular necrosis after 2 to 3 weeks; recovery was observed after 4 weeks despite continued loading. Kidney copper decreased for the first 3 weeks and was slightly increased after 4 weeks. Distribution profiles of cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) on an SW column revealed that elution profiles of kidney metallothionein changed from typical kidney with high copper content to typical liver metallothioneins with tubular necrosis and restoration.