Inverse relationship between serum erythropoietin and blood lead concentrations in Kathmandu tricycle taxi drivers.
OBJECTIVE
Kathmandu tricycle taxi drivers, whose environmental lead (Pb) exposure is ascribable mainly to vehicular exhaust, were studied to examine a dose-response relationship between blood Pb (Pb-B) and serum erythropoietin (sEPO) concentrations.


METHODS
Subjects were 27 drivers and 9 non-drivers. They were non-anemic healthy men with normal renal function. Pb-B was measured by an atomic absorption spectrometer with a graphite furnace, and sEPO was determined with a sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
sEPO levels in drivers were lower than those of non-drivers, while Pb-B levels in drivers were higher than those of non-drivers. There was an inverse relationship between Pb-B and sEPO.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that Pb inhibits renal EPO production in a dose-dependent manner in persons with subclinical Pb toxicity. sEPO may serve as an early biochemical marker of subclinical Pb toxicity.
Sakata
Susumu
S
Department of Physiology II, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan. ssakata@naramed-u.ac.jp
Shimizu
Satoshi
S
Ogoshi
Kumiko
K
Hirai
Kazuko
K
Ohno
Yoshimi
Y
Kishi
Takashi
T
Sherchand
Jeevan B
JB
Utsumi
Masako
M
Shibata
Munetaka
M
Takaki
Miyako
M
Ueda
Masatsugu
M
Mori
Ippei
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001642:Bicycling; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014186:Transportation
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D015415:Biomarkers; D004921:Erythropoietin; D007854:Lead