Low Dose Cadmium Inhibits Proliferation of Human Renal Mesangial Cells via Activation of the JNK Pathway

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal and environmental pollutant. The kidney is the principal target organ of Cd exposure. Previously, we found that low concentration of Cd damages the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier. However, little is known about the effects of Cd on renal mesangial cells, which provide structural support for the glomerular capillary loops and regulate intraglomerular blood flow. In this study, human renal mesangial cells (HRMCs) were cultured in the presence of serum and treated with 4 μM Cd. We found that Cd activates the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, and increases the protein levels of c-Jun and c-Fos. Cd treatment also induces a decrease in proliferation and an increase in apoptosis of HRMCs, but only the decrease in HRMC proliferation was reversed by pretreatment with SP600125, an inhibitor of the JNK pathway. In addition, Cd does not change the expression of α-smooth muscle actin and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β, the markers of mesangial cells, or the alignment of the filamentous actin (F-actin) cytoskeleton of HRMCs. Our data indicate that the JNK pathway mediates the inhibitory effects of Cd on HRMC proliferation.