EFFECT OF DIFFERENT DOSES OF CADMIUM ON MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE ACTIVITY IN THE HEART, BRAIN AND BLOOD SERUM OF RATS

Cadmium (Cd) is not an element necessary for metabolic processes in the cell; its accumulation in the body can lead to disruption of vital functions of organs and systems, therefore, the molecular mechanisms of its action have been actively studied in recent years. The objective was to study the effect of cadmium in different doses (0.1 mkg/kg and 1 mkg/kg) on the activity of the two enzymes of matrix metalloproteinase family ? gelatinase A (MMP2) and gelatinase B (MMP9) in the brain, heart and blood serum of rats. The method of gelatin zymography was used to evaluate the activity of these enzymes. We demonstrated that low doses of exogenous cadmium (0.1 mkg/kg) lead to reduced activity of latent and mature MMP9 in serum and myocardium, but the activity of these enzymes is almost constant in the brain. High doses of cadmium (1 mkg/ kg) cause a significant increase in the activity of both gelatinases in the myocardium and decreased MMP2 activity in the brain. The received results indicate the dose-dependent and tissue-specific effect of cadmium on MMP-depended protein degradation.