Cadmium is a well-known environmental pollutant that leads to several neurodegenerative diseases during adulthood. The role of zinc in cadmium toxicity has been controversial and there are reports suggesting its synergistic as well as antagonistic effects when treated with cadmium. The current study was conducted to determinate the effect of zinc on cadmium-induced toxicity in the brain of a semi desert rodent Meriones shawi. Therefore, to imitate human environmental exposure modeling to these pathologies, a neuronal hippocampal culture model was targeted from adult rodent that supports the long-term survival and physiological regeneration of mature cells. The viability of neurons was assessed by TUNEL assay. The results showed that cadmium induces neuronal death as Cd concentration increases with IC50 of 2.5 µM, following 5 days of treatment. Neuron viability was significantly attenuated by low concentrations of zinc treatment. However, high zinc concentration reveals to be very toxic to selected culture. The present innovative data support that low concentrations of zinc protect against cadmium cytotoxicity. Thus, zinc provides therapeutic potential for brain lesions.

Keyword:Cadmium, zinc, adult neuronal cells, in vitro,Meriones shawi, immunocytochemistry

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