Rat liver tyrosine aminotransferase activity and induction by dexamethasone upon cadmium intoxication

This study was focused on Cd effects on basal and dexamethasone-induced tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) activity in the rat liver cytosol. Cadmium (Cd), applied in the dose of 2 mg/kg b.w., stimulated both TAT activity and its induction by dexamethasone, inducing the most prominent alterations 24 h after administration. Doses lower than 2 mg Cd/kg b.w. were ineffective while the higher ones (3 and 4 mg Cd/kg b.w) led to the changes similar to those reached by 2 mg Cd/kg. The in vitro application of different Cd concentrations to the liver cytosol rendered the enzyme activity unchanged suggesting that the metal acted at the level of TAT gene transcription