DIFFERENTIAL CELL SENSITIVITY TO CADMIUM AND CADMIUM-SEQUESTERING MOLECULES

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中利用 资源由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目和 调查员(PI)可能从NIH的另一个来源获得了主要资金， 并因此可以在其他清晰的条目中表示。列出的机构是 该中心不一定是调查人员的机构。 重金属镉是香烟中广泛存在的环境污染物和成分，在人体内积累，对人体健康构成威胁。骨骼是镉的关键靶点，人类接触镉与骨骼疾病有关，包括骨质疏松症和骨量减少。2005年，疾控中心的一份报告将镉列为一种值得监测的毒素。这份报告，结合骨质疏松症医疗费用的不断攀升，强调了研究破译镉诱导的骨毒性的潜在机制的重要性。尽管镉作为一种环境毒素被公认为是一种重要的环境毒素，但人们对镉如何直接影响骨细胞，特别是成骨细胞知之甚少。我们实验室的研究表明，镉暴露可诱导成骨细胞凋亡，即程序性细胞死亡。我们的主要研究目标是确定镉诱导成骨细胞凋亡的细胞内机制，这反过来可能最终导致净骨丢失。总的来说，镉的体外骨毒性模型可能有助于确定治疗和预防骨质疏松症的目标。骨质疏松症是一种主要的代谢性骨骼疾病，每年耗资200亿美元。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The heavy metal cadmium, a widespread environmental contaminant and component in cigarettes, accumulates in the body and poses a threat to human health. Bone is a critical target site for cadmium and human exposure to cadmium is linked to bone diseases, including osteoporosis and osteopenia. In 2005, a CDC report listed cadmium as a toxin that merits monitoring. This report, combined with the escalating cost of healthcare for osteoporosis, emphasizes the importance of research to decipher the underlying mechanisms of cadmium-induced osteotoxicity. Despite its recognized importance as an environmental toxin, little is known about how cadmium directly impacts bone cells, in particular the bone-forming osteoblasts. Research from our laboratory indicates that cadmium exposure induces apoptosis, programmed cell death, in osteoblastic cells. Our overarching research goal is to identify the intracellular mechanisms involved in cadmium-induced osteoblast apoptosis, which in turn, may ultimately contribute to net bone loss. Collectively, a cadmium osteotoxicity in vitro model may help identify targets for treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, a major metabolic bone disease with an annual cost 20 billion dollars.