Lead increases red cell sodium-lithium countertransport.
The effect of 1, 3, 5, and 20 mumol/L lead on normal red cell sodium-lithium countertransport was studied in vitro. Red cell suspensions incubated with lead had increased sodium-lithium countertransport at all concentration levels compared with paired, unleaded controls when all groups were evaluated by analysis of covariance (F = 19.2, P less than 0.001). The effect of lead was concentration dependent (r = 0.998, P less than 0.001). These observations suggest that abnormalities in sodium transport are involved in the pathogenesis of lead-induced hypertension. Because increased red cell sodium-lithium countertransport is characteristic of essential hypertension, these observations further suggest that lead-induced and essential hypertension may share common pathophysiological mechanisms.
Batuman
V
V
Medical Service, VA Medical Center, East Orange, NJ 07019.
Dreisbach
A
A
Chun
E
E
Naumoff
M
M
D017920:Antiporters; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male
D017920:Antiporters; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C045885:sodium-lithium countertransporter; D007854:Lead