Thermoregulation in mice following acute administration of lead acetate.
Several reports in the literature suggest a relationship between lead intoxication and thermoregulatory capacity. To investigate the effects of lead on the control of body temperature, mice of the BALB/c strain were injected intraperitoneally with lead acetate (0 to 100 mg/kg) while colonic temperature was measured 30, 60, and 90 min post-injection at ambient temperatures (Ta) of 20 and 30 degrees C. Lead acetate caused a transient hypothermia, an effect which was augmented at cooler Ta's. In a second experiment, mice were injected with 100 mg/kg lead acetate and placed in a longitudinal temperature gradient to measure their preferred Ta. Lead acetate significantly reduced the preferred Ta during the first 30 min post-injection which augmented the lead-induced hypothermia. In a third experiment it was found that lead acetate-induced lethality was potentiated with increasing Ta. Hence, the hypothermic response to acute lead acetate treatment may be beneficial to survival.
D000818:Animals; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D013696:Temperature
D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C008261:lead acetate