Abstract: ObjectiveTo study DNA damage and cell apoptosis in NRK cells after treatment with cadmium chloride.MethodsNRK cells were treated with various doses of calmium chloride for 12 hr.Hoechst/PI double fluorescent staining assay was applied to detect cell apoptosis, and single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) was used to test DNA damage after NRK cells were treated with calmium.ResultsThe rotes of cell apoptosis in groups treated with 2.5, 5, 10, and 20μmol/L cadmium chloride were 5.9%,12.4%,24.6%,and 46.2%,respectively, which were higher than that in control group.On the other hand, the tail DNA content and DNA tail length significantly increased in the groups treated with cadmium chloride when compared with the control.Furthermore, the tail DNA content and DNA tail length showed dose-dependent response after calmium treatment.ConclusionCadmium could induce cell apoptosis and DNA damage in NRK cells DNA damage might be the reason of cell apoptosis.