[Lead distribution and 78,000 glucose regulated protein levels in various organs of weaned rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate lead distribution and the change of 78 000 glucose regulated protein (GRP78) in various organs of weaned rats challenged with low-level maternal origin lead.


METHODS
Male littermates, bred from the female Fisher 344 rats gavaged with lead acetate or sodium acetate (1 ml of 10 mg/ml per day per animal) with male Fisher 344 rats without lead treatment, were divided into 4 groups including control (group A), gestation plus lactation (group B), gestation only (group C), and lactation only (group D). Each group had 6 litters. These littermates were weaned and terminated at postnatal day 21. Lead contents and GRP78 levels in various organs of these littermates were determined by atomic absorbance spectrometry (AAS) and Western blotting analysis, respectively.


RESULTS
Maternal lead was observed to transfer to littermates through gestation and lactation. Concentrations of littermate blood lead in groups A to D were (0.0010+/-0.0010), (0.1420+/-0.0190), (0.0250+/-0.0040), and (0.1490+/-0.0160) microg/ml, respectively. Concentrations of littermate brain lead in groups A to D were (0.0005+/-0.0005), (0.1120+/-0.0130), (0.0125+/-0.0042), and (0.0700+/-0.0058) microg/g, respectively. Concentrations of littermate kidney lead in groups A to D were (0.0050+/-0.0050), (1.0400+/-0.1000), (0.1040+/-0.0330), and (0.9920+/-0.0850) microg/g, respectively. Concentrations of littermate liver lead in groups A to D were (0.0030+/-0.0050), (0.3600+/-0.0550), (0.0567+/-0.0126), and (0.3030+/-0.0310) microg/g, respectively. Blood, brain, kidney and liver lead concentrations in groups B and D were significantly higher than those in group C and differences were 5-10 folds. Arbitrary units of littermate leukocytic GRP78 concentration normalized with actin protein in groups A to D were 1.000+/-0.038, 1.180+/-0.060, 0.998+/-0.109, and 1.290+/-0.110, respectively. Arbitrary units of littermate brain GRP78 concentration normalized with actin protein level in groups A to D were 0.996+/-0.128, 0.922+/-0.246, 1.150+/-0.170, and 0.750+/-0.126, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Lead in maternal bodies could be transferred to litter bodies through gestation and lactation and distributed in various organs. Lead might also changed GRP78 expression in leukocytes.
Wang
Lin-jing
LJ
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510310, China.
Zheng
Ying
Y
Qian
Yong-chang
YC
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D007854:Lead / Q000378:metabolism*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344
D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C018551:glucose-regulated proteins; D007854:Lead