title: Effect of aluminum on delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase from mouse blood.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate aluminum deposition in whole blood and plasma of mice and the activity of blood delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) after in vitro and in vivo exposure to this element. In vitro experiments showed activation and inhibition of the enzyme activity when 0.01-5.0 mM of aluminum sulphate were used (IC(50): 1.31 mM). Treatment with citrate and aluminum plus citrate increased ALA-D activity in vivo and the increase in enzyme activity was parallel to the increase in aluminum content in blood and plasma. These results show that aluminum has a distinct effect on ALA-D activity: first, at relatively lower concentrations it activated, and at high concentration it inhibited, blood ALA-D in vitro; second, it activated the enzyme when administered to drinking water. One important toxicological finding of the present report is that the apparent irrelevant addition of citrate to the drinking water significantly increased the level of aluminum in blood and plasma. Thus, in order to predict more accurately the extent of human exposure to aluminum it would be advantageous to consider the level of citrate ingestion and not exclusively the aluminum level in water or food.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Quimica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-900, RS, Santa Maria, Brazil.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Pimentel Vieira
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Schetinger
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Morsch
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tuerlinckz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bohrer
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: do Nascimento
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000534:Alum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000534:Alum Compounds; D002712:Chlorides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C041524:aluminum sulfate; C016837:zinc chloride; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase