title: Blood cell gamma-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity in humans exposed to methylmercury.
abstract: The gamma-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) activity in blood cells was studied in 15 subjects exposed to methylmercury through consumption of contaminated fish and 19 "unexposed" subjects with a similar sex and age distribution. The exposed subjects had a mean mercury level of 120 (range 15-370) ng/g blood cells while the controls had 9 (range 4-15) ng/g. Both groups had the same mean level of lead in whole blood (10+/-1 mug/100 ml). ALA-D activity decreased statistically significantly as both mercury and lead levels in the blood cells increased.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005396:Fish Products / Q000009:adverse effects; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D006836:Hydro-Lyases / Q000097:blood*; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010949:Plasma / Q000378:metabolism; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D007854:Lead; D006836:Hydro-Lyases; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase; D008628:Mercury