Résumé
The intent of the present work was to study the changes of some hepatic parameters upon exposure to cadmium and to study the role of L-arginine in that experimental model of hepatocellular injury. The study was conducted on thirty two adult male albino rats that were divided into four groups, a control group, a cadmium [Cd] treated group [0.1mg/kg b.w] subcutaneously for 30 days, a cadmium and saline treated group and a cadmium and L-arginine treated group [100mg/kg b.w orally] for 30 days. Cadmium significantly [P<0.05] increased the mean values of the measured parameters, alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate amino transferase [AST], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-a], interleukin-6 [IL-6], hepatic caspase-3 activity and serum matrix metallo-proteinase-9 [MMP-9], compared to control and to [cadmium and L-arginine]- treated rats. Concomitant administration of L-arginine with cadmium prevented the occuranee of these changes. Mean while the reduction of MMP-9 mean values, induced by L-arginine, did not return to basal control value. It was concluded that Cd-hepatocellular dysfunction, in that model, is induced through the activation of apoptosis and increased MMP-9 activity. It was also concluded that L-arginine, through the release of NO, induced a partial hepato-protective effect possibly due to the interaction of other mechanisms which may modulate MMP-9 activity