title: [Changes in porphyrin metabolism of mice given beryllium and/or zinc].
abstract: Beryllium chloride and/or zinc chloride were intraperitoneally injected into mice. The amount of beryllium (Be) injected corresponded to 1/10th of the LD50 dose intravenously administered. The amount of zinc (Zn) injected was the same as Be. The changes in porphyrin metabolism of the mice were studied. Delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) activities in the blood were found to increase significantly in Zn and BeZn groups when compared to the control level. The blood porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG-D) activity in the Zn group was slightly less than that in the controls. The ALA-D and PBG-D activities in liver were higher in the Be and BeZn groups than in the controls. The splenic ALA-D activities were significantly higher in the Zn and BeZn groups than in the control and Be groups. The splenic PBG-D activities were markedly higher in the Be and/or Zn groups than in the controls. An increase in ALA-D activities in the blood and spleen was observed in the BeZn group, together with an increase in ALA-D activities caused by Zn administration. Furthermore, the increase in PBG-D activities in liver and spleen was observed in the Be and/or Zn groups. The results suggested that chemical similarity between Be and Zn brought about these phenomena.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aminaka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kudo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001608:Beryllium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011163:Hydroxymethylbilane Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013154:Spleen / Q000201:enzymology; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D011166:Porphyrins; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C032776:beryllium chloride; C016837:zinc chloride; D011163:Hydroxymethylbilane Synthase; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase; D001608:Beryllium