Neurotoxicity induced by lead levels: an electrophysiological study

The object of the present study was to evaluate, with the aid of visual evoked potentials (VEPs), modifications induced in the optic nerve by lead, and to investigate the relationship between blood lead levels (PbB) and modification of the VEP. We studied a sample of 300 men with PbB values between 17 and 60 g/100 ml. Our study demonstrates that alterations in the latency of the VEP are dependent on PbB levels, though there is not a directly proportional relationship.     

铅中毒对小鼠颌小腺神经生长因子mRNA的影响

为观察铅对小鼠颌小腺NGF基因表达的影响,以地高辛素标记人β-NGFcDNA为探针,采用原位杂交的方法,定量分析铅中毒小鼠颌下腺NGFmRNA的变化。给小鼠以0．5％醋酸铅经口染毒,造成小鼠实验性铅中毒模型。铅中毒后小鼠发育迟缓,体重下降。病理切片的结果表明,铅中毒后颌下腺腺导管上皮变薄,腺体萎缩,原位杂交的结果显示：铅中毒后颌下腺颗粒曲管和纹状管的杂交信号减弱,即颌下腺中NGFmRNA减少。     

铅对小鼠睾丸组织脂质过氧化作用及杭白菊对其保护作用的研究

本文通过给雄性小鼠腹腔注射醋酸铅染毒,测定各不同染毒剂量组与空白对照及杭白菊灌胃组中血铅、血浆中VitC和小鼠睾丸组织中T—SOD、GSH—Px活力,MDA含量．以观察铅对小鼠睾丸组织脂质过氧化作用及杭白菊对其保护作用。结果表明：铅染毒组T—SOD活力和GSH—Px活力下降．其中T—SOD活力与铅含量呈负相关（r＝-0．6098,P＜0．01）;杭白菊灌胃组T—SOD和GSH—Px活力上升,与铅染毒组相比,差异显著（P＜0．05）,其中GSH—Px恢复到对照水平。杭白菊灌胃组较染毒组血铅含量下降,血浆中VitC含量上升,差异显著（P＜0．05）。     

上海市婴幼儿血铅水平与体格发育的关系

目的探讨低水平铅暴露对儿童体格发育的影响。方法在上海市5个区县30所托幼机构,对1969名儿童进行了血铅水平的流行病学调查和体格发育等指标测量,并根据儿童身高、体重、头围和胸围计算其Z标准分,然后与血铅水平进行相关分析和逐步回归分析。结果上海市儿童血铅水平几何均数为0．400μmol／L,≥0．483μmol／L的比例为37．8％,血铅水平的几何均数与儿童身高、体重及头围的Z标准分呈显著的负相关。结论低水平铅暴露对上海市婴幼儿的体格发育可能具有不利影响。     

铅对心肌细胞膜脂、膜蛋白运动影响特征的研究

采用荧光偏振及ＥＳＲ（电子自旋共振）技术观察铅对心肌细胞膜脂、膜蛋白运动的影响。与对照组相比,１～１００μｍｏｌ／Ｌ铅可使荧光偏振度Ｐ值及微粘度η值呈增加趋势,但无显著性差异。在同一剂量相同作用时间下,铅对τＣ值有明显影响,在１～５０μｍｏｌ／Ｌ范围内呈剂量反应关系,即随铅剂量增大,τＣ值增大。τＣ增大,膜蛋白运动减慢;τＣ减小,膜蛋白运动加快。提示铅对心肌细胞膜蛋白的影响大于膜脂。     

不同发育期铅暴露对大鼠空间认知能力的影响

用不同发育期大鼠的接铅史来探讨铅暴露的敏感期及铅对年轻大鼠空间认知能力的影响。结果发现,生前和生后持续接铅的染毒１组和经母体间接接铅的染毒３组,两者Ｍｏｒｉｓ水迷宫的测试成绩均显著低于对照组,而断乳后接铅的染毒２组,虽然血铅水平显著增高,但脑铅水平和水迷宫测试成绩却与对照组无差别,提示在神经发育早期（胎儿期和婴儿期）对铅更敏感。     

Placental transfer of lead,mercury and cadmium in women living in a rural area

Summary The influence of the lead content of drinking water on the transplacental transfer of lead was investigated in 70 pregnant women living in a rural area of Belgium. The mothers were divided into 2 groups: group A: morning water lead below 50 g/liter; group B: morning water lead above this value. In group A, the mean lead content of water was 11.8 g/liter and in group B it amounted to 247.4 g/liter.The difference in the mean lead concentration between the two groups were for maternal blood: 3.2 g/100 ml, for umbilical cord blood: 3.3 g/100 ml, and for placenta: 3.6 g/100 g. These differences are statistically significant.There were significant correlations between water lead and lead concentration in blood (mother, newborn) or placenta. An increment of water lead concentration from 50 to 500 g/liter increases blood lead concentration in mother and in newborn by about 3 g/100 ml and in placenta by about 2.5 g/100 g (wet weight).     

Recovery of slowed nerve conduction velocity in lead-exposed workers

Summary Maximum motor nerve conduction velocities in the median nerve (MCV) and blood lead (PbB) were repeatedly measured in 14 lead exposed workers with an initial PbB from 0.7 to 4.0 mol/kg (median 2.3 mol/kg) for a period from 3 months to 7 years: A certain dose of Calcium Disodium Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (CaEDTA) was injected intravenously into most of the subjects during the period.In seven subjects, MCV improved by more than 4 m/s during the observation period which involved the first two successive measurements of MCV and PbB, but the remaining seven subjects showed the minimal alteration (within ± 4.0 m/s). The initial value of MCV was significantly slower (P < 0.01) and the decrease in PbB was significantly greater (P < 0.05) in the group of subjects having shown the improvement of MCV by more than 4 m/s.The initial value of MCV was significant in determining the alteration in MCV in multiple regression analysis and, together with the change in PbB, explained 31% of the alteration in MCV between the first two successive measurements. The initial level of PbB, dose of CaEDTA, time interval between the measurements and age played no essential part in the alteration in MCV.The alteration in MCV throughout the whole observation period in each subject significantly correlated with the concurrent change in PbB (r=–0.573, P < 0.001).     

Lead in blood and tissues of mice after administration of low lead doses

Lead levels in whole blood could be determined reliably up to a lower limit of 2 g/100 ml blood, using a modified micromethod of the graphite tube furnace technique. Lead contents of various tissues were also determined by using the automated graphite tube furnace after wet ashing of the organs with nitric acid in autoclaves.Animal experiments with mice showed no measurable increase in blood lead level after a single, 10- or 30-days oral administration of lead in doses of 10–1000 g lead acetate/kg body weight/day. However, these doses led to a rise in tissue lead content. There was a clear dependence of tissue lead content on type of organ examined, lead dose and duration of lead exposure.According to our experiments, the threshold dose which leads to a long-term increase in tissue lead content is assumed to be about 100 g lead acetate/kg body weight/day, orally administered.We are thankful to Prof. Dr. H. Rüssel, Hannover and Dr. M. Fleischer, Saarbrücken for helping in comparison studies.We would also like to thank Mr. H. Dick and Miss. Ch. Hecker for the technical and laboratory assistance.     

Electron microscopy and X-ray microanalyses of uterine epithelium from lead-injected mice in an experimental delay of implantation

Mice in experimental delay of implantation were injected intravenously with 75 g · g^–1 body weight of lead chloride, corresponding to a dose of lead of about 56 g · g^–1 body weight. Delay of implantation was obtained by ovariectomy 3 days after mating followed by a depot dose of progesterone every fifth day. Electron microscopy showed that the uterine lumen, which was closed in control mice, was opened in lead-injected mice. This morphology suggested that lead caused an increase in uterine secretion. X-ray microanalysis of pyroantimonate precipitates in the uterine epithelium of injected mice demonstrated lead in the precipitates, suggesting that lead could have a direct effect on the function of the uterine epithelium and that lead also could be secreted into the uterine lumen and affect the blastocysts.