title: Negative relationships between erythrocyte Ca-pump activity and lead levels in mothers and newborns.
abstract: Lead poisoning induces hematological, gastrointestinal and neurological dysfunctions. One of the potential mechanisms is the inhibition of calcium-pump (Ca-pump), a transport protein. We investigated the effects of an environmental low lead exposure on Ca-pump activity in 247 mothers and their newborns. Maternal and cord blood, and newborn and mother hair, were sampled at delivery. Geometric means for mother and cord blood lead (Pb-B), and for mother and newborn hair lead (Pb-H), were 6.3 and 4.8 microg/dl, and 1.7 and 1.1 microg/g. Means for mother and cord basal Ca-pump activities were 2,442 and 2,675 nM/mg/hr. Mother enzymatic activity was negatively related to her Pb-B and Pb-H and to the cord Pb-B and newborn Pb-H levels. Newborn enzymatic activity was negatively related to his Pb-H level only. Adjustment for gestational age, child's sex, mother's age at delivery, alcohol, coffee and tea consumption, and smoking habits during pregnancy did not modify these relationships. Our findings support the hypothesis that lead toxicity could be in part mediated by a reduction of Ca-pump activity. This effect could be observed at low environmental exposure, in mothers and newborns.
authors.affiliation: French National Institute of Medical Research and Health (INSERM-U472), Epidemiology and Biostatistics Research Unit, Villejuif.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campagna
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hellier
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sahuquillo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fagot-Campagna
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Godin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D007854:Lead; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases