Zinc is known to prevent cadmium-induced carcinogenesis and Leydig cell destruction in rat testes; however, the mechanism of action is not known, although it has been suggested that pituitary feedback increases the production of luteinizing hormone (LH) in response to low circulating androgen. We therefore examined the biological role of zinc in reducing cadmium toxicity in the Leydig cells of Fischer rats. Two groups of eleven 6-month-old rats were injected subcutaneously with 20 micromol CdCl2/kg weekly for 5 weeks; one of these groups also received 1 mmol/kg zinc acetate weekly for the same 5 weeks. A third group of rats received 1 mmol/kg zinc acetate weekly, and a fourth group was injected with saline weekly for 5 weeks. After 8 months of study, the animals were euthanized by CO2 inhalation. The results indicated that the number of surviving Leydig cells was significantly lower in the cadmium group (7.34% = 0.095 x 10(9)/cm3) than in the cadmium-zinc group (20.85%) or control animals (91.2%). Moreover, the concentrations of serum testosterone and LH were significantly higher in the cadmium group than in any of the other groups. This difference probably was due to the testosterone produced by a small reservoir of surviving Leydig cells and to other endocrine factors. These findings suggest that Fischer rat testis may be a good model system for testing the effects of cadmium and zinc on the production of LH and testosterone and other androgens before spontaneous cancers develop.