Impact of Early Arsenic Exposure on the Mineral Content and Oxidative Status of the Liver and Kidney of Pubescent and Adult Rats

This study evaluated the effect of prepubertal arsenic exposure in the liver and kidney of pubescent rats and their reversibility 30 days after arsenic withdrawal. Male pups of Wistar rats (21 days old) were divided into two groups ( n = 20/group): control animals received filtered water, and exposed rats received 10 mg L −1 arsenic from postnatal day (PND) 21 to PND 51. The liver and kidney of 52 days old rats ( n = 10/group) were examined to investigate the effects of arsenic on micromineral content, antioxidant enzyme activity, histology, and biochemistry parameters. The other animals were kept alive under free arsenic conditions until 82 days old and further analyzed by the same parameters. Our results revealed that 52-day-old rats increased arsenic content in their liver and arsenic and manganese in their kidney. In those animals, glycogen and zinc content and catalase activity were reduced in the liver, and the selenium content decreased in the kidney. Thirty days later, arsenic reduced the manganese and iron content and SOD and CAT activity in the liver of 82-day-old rats previously exposed to arsenic, while glycogen and selenium content decreased in their kidney. In contrast, PND 82 rats exhibited higher retention of copper in the liver, an increase in iron and copper content, and CAT and GST activity in the kidney. Significant histological alterations of liver and kidney tissues were not observed in rats of both ages. We conclude that arsenic-induced toxicity could alter differently the oxidative status and balance of trace elements in pubertal and adult rats, demonstrating that the metalloid can cause effects in adulthood.