title: Lead inhibits Ca(2+)-stimulated nitric oxide synthase activity from rat cerebellum.
abstract: Pb2+ is reported to cause cognitive dysfunctions in children and to inhibit long-term potentiation (LTP), a model form of synaptic plasticity that involves nitric oxide (NO). Since Pb2+ interacts with Ca(2+)-calmodulin, and brain nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is Ca(2+)-calmodulin regulated, we examined the effects of Pb2+ on NOS activity prepared from rat cerebellum. NOS required NADPH and was inhibited by monomethylarginine. Full NOS activity required 0.6 microM free Ca2+ and was inhibited 50% by 17 nM and 100% by 80 nM free Pb2+. NOS inhibition by Pb2+ was reversible by increasing free Ca2+ concentrations. Evaluation of other divalent cations resulted in the following ranked order of potencies: Cu2+ > Pb2+ >> Zn2+; Fe2+, Ba2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, and Sr2+ were ineffective. These results suggest that Pb2+ inhibition of brain NOS activity may account for some of the effects of Pb2+ on the CNS.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurotransmitter Biochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island 10314, USA.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002412:Cations / Q000494:pharmacology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D007854:Lead / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009249:NADP / Q000494:pharmacology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D007854:Lead; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D009249:NADP; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D002118:Calcium