Multiorgan Caspase-3 Immunoreactivity and Physiopathological Injury Following Chronic Oral Aluminum Chloride Exposure in Rats
International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine,
Vol. 16 (2026),
1 January 2026
,
Page 1-7
https://doi.org/10.22037/ijmtfm.v16.53560
Abstract
Background: Aluminum exposure can injure multiple organs, but its association with tissue-specific caspase-3 immunoreactivity remains incompletely characterized.
Methods: Ninety male rats, aged 8–9 weeks and weighing 200–300 g, received distilled water or aluminum chloride hexahydrate (100 or 200 mg/kg/day) by oral gavage. We sampled ten rats per group on days 30, 60, and 90. We assessed serum calcium and iron and evaluated tissue histopathology. We quantified caspase-3-positive cells in four organs of control and high-dose rats at day 90.
Results: At day 90, high-dose rats had lower calcium (5.43±0.24 versus 10.55±0.23 mg/dL) and iron (5.56±0.08 versus 11.33±0.17 µmol/L) than controls. Approximate mean differences were −5.12 mg/dL (95% CI, −5.56 to −4.68) and −5.77 µmol/L (−6.22 to −5.32), respectively. Caspase-3-positive counts increased in all four organs (Holm-adjusted p<0.001). Histology showed renal tubular degeneration, hepatic vacuolation, and splenic lymphoid depletion, congestion, hemosiderosis, and follicular apoptotic bodies.
Conclusion: Chronic oral aluminum chloride exposure was associated with increased caspase-3 immunoreactivity, renal, hepatic, and splenic histopathological injury, and reduced serum calcium and iron. The immunostaining indicates caspase-3 protein immunoreactivity, not confirmed enzymatic activation or apoptosis; the data do not establish an organ-susceptibility ranking.
- Aluminum Chloride, Caspase 3, Histopathology, Immunohistochemistry, Rats
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References
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