Heterozygous huntingtin promotes cadmium neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration in striatal cells via altered metal transport and protein kinase C delta dependent oxidative stress and apoptosis signaling mechanisms.

Huntington's disease (HD) is functionally linked to environmental factors including cigarette use and dyshomeostasis in the levels of metals. Interestingly, one of the most abundant heavy metals in cigarettes is cadmium (Cd), which also accumulates in the striatum and causes neurotoxicity upon exposure. Thus, we hypothesized that heterozygous huntingtin (HTT), responsible for the majority of cases of HD in patients, in combination with Cd exposure would cause neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration via increased intracellular accumulation of Cd and activation of oxidative stress signaling mechanisms in a mouse striatal cell line model of HD.

α-Synuclein Enhances Cadmium Uptake and Neurotoxicity via Oxidative Stress and Caspase Activated Cell Death Mechanisms in a Dopaminergic Cell Model of Parkinson's Disease.

This study examined the role of alpha-synuclein in regulating cadmium (Cd)-induced neurotoxicity using the N27 dopaminergic neuronal model of Parkinson's disease (PD) that stably expresses wild-type human α-synuclein (α-Syn) or empty vector (Vec) control. We report that α-Syn significantly increased Cd-induced cytotoxicity as compared to Vec control cells upon 24 h exposure. To explore the cellular mechanisms, we examined oxidative stress, caspase activation, and Cd uptake and intracellular accumulation.