Novel Mechanisms of Cadmium-Induced Toxicity in Renal Cells

Cadmium (Cd) is an important industrial agent but is also an environmental pollutant that causes kidney disease. Chronic exposure to Cd results in its accumulation in proximal tubular cells of the kidney. This causes a variety of toxic effects that result in renal cell death. Current evidence indicates early phases of Cd-induced renal injury; for example, before renal cell death, Cd induces disruption to the transcription of apoptotic-related genes, dysregulation of autophagy, disruption of cell junction protein complexes, and accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins. In this review, we discuss novel factors involved in Cd renal toxicity. This review may provide new insights for further elucidation of the mechanisms underlying Cd-induced toxicity in renal cells.