Effects of cadmium on myometrial activity of the nonpregnant human. Interactions with calcium and oxytocin.

With respect to recent reports suggesting an involvement of cadmium in preterm labor, the effects of this ion on the activity of myometrial strips from term pregnant women were examined. The interactions of cadmium with calcium and oxytocin on myometrial activity were also studied. Cadmium alone inhibited spontaneous contractile activity already in a concentration of 10(-9) M and in 10(-3) M myometrial contractions were almost completely abolished. Responses to Ca2+ and oxytocin were significantly increased by exposure to cadmium in low concentration (10(-9) M-10(-8) M), whereas higher concentration of Cd2+ had inhibitory action. These results suggest that cadmium not only blocks Ca2+ channels in the human myometrium, but also interferes with intracellular mechanisms involved in excitation-contraction coupling. The increased responses to Ca2+ and oxytocin in the presence of low amounts of Cd2+ support a role of cadmium in mechanisms of preterm labor.