[Effect of L-methionine on trace elements in lead-intoxicated mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of L-methionine (L-Met) on the content of Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe in liver, brain, spleen and kidney of lead intoxicated mice.


METHODS
Distilled water was given to 10 mice (normal control group) and lead acetate solution of 400 micro g/ml Pb(2+) to 20 mice to serve as drinking water for 10 days. The lead administration was then withdrawn and lead exposed mice were randomly divided into two groups: the lead control group took distilled water as drinking water for 4 weeks to serve as positive control, the other one took L-Met solution (0.5 mg/ml) as drinking water for 4 weeks (Pb + L-Met group) to serve as the treatment group. All the animals were sacrificed on the 1st day after 4 weeks, and the contents of Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb in liver, brain, spleen and kidney were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Emission Spectrometry.


RESULTS
Lead contents in liver, brain, spleen and kidney of Pb control group [(1.490 +/- 1.654) micro g/g, (3.470 +/- 2.757) micro g/g, (4.975 +/- 2.993) micro g/g, (0.066 +/- 0.001) micro g/g respectively], were higher than those in normal control group [(0.015 +/- 0.001) micro g/g, (0.009 +/- 0.007) micro g/g, (0.027 +/- 0.002) micro g/g, (0.006 +/- 0.015) micro g/g, P < 0.05] while Zn contents in liver, brain, spleen and Fe and Mn content in liver, brain, spleen and kidney in Pb control group were lower than those in normal control group (P < 0.05). Pb contents of brain, spleen and Cu content of kidney in Pb + L-Met group were higher than those in normal control group (P < 0.05). Zn contents of liver, brain, spleen, Fe contents of liver, brain, spleen, kidney, and Mn contents of brain, spleen in Pb + L-Met group were lower than those in normal control group (P < 0.05). Fe contents of liver, brain, Zn content of spleen, Cu content of kidney and Mn contents of liver, brain, spleen in the Pb + L-Met group were higher than those in the Pb control group (P < 0.05). The lead levels of four organs in the Pb + L-Met group were lower than those in the Pb control group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Lead could be eliminated by L-Met, which may affect the distribution and metabolism of trace elements in mice.
Xie
Ling-lin
LL
Family Planning Research Institute, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
Zhu
Chang-hong
CH
Tian
Wei-qun
WQ
Gao
Qiu-hua
QH
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000378:metabolism*
D014131:Trace Elements; D008715:Methionine