Disturbances of energetic metabolism in rat epididymal  epithelial cells as a consequence of chronic lead intoxication.
Adult male Wistar rats were intoxicated with 1% lead acetate (PbAc) administered in drinking water for nine months, which amounts to a period five times longer than the duration of one spermatogenesis. There were mitochondrial ultrastructure disorders of epididymal epithelial cells observed in PbAc-treated rats; also a significant lead-induced decrease in ATP concentration in epididymal epithelial cells (by 32%, P < 0.05), Adenylate Energy Charge value (AEC) (by 8%, P < 0.05) and an increase in ADP (28.5%, P < 0.05), AMP (27%, P < 0.05) and adenosine (by 56%, P < 0.05). The results were measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and detected even at low lead concentrations in whole blood (M:7.03 μg/dL; Q1-Q3: 2.99-7.65). The function of mitochondria in cultured epididymal epithelial cells of control and PbAc-treated animals were evaluated using fluorophores: Mitotracker Green FM and JC-1. After incubation with Mitotracker Green FM, we observed active mitochondria producing bright green fluorescence in the cytoplasm of cultured epididymal epithelial cells, both in the control group and the Pb-treated animals. Incubation of cultured epididymal epithelial cells of animals from both groups produced red-orange fluorescence with the mitochondrial JC-1 probe indicating mitochondria with high membrane potential (ΔΨm > 80-100 mV) and green fluorescence in the mitochondria with low membrane potential (ΔΨm < 80 mV). The results showed that a chronic low-level exposure to lead, even without severe clinical symptoms of contamination, disrupted the ultrastructure and energy metabolism of mitochondria in epididymal epithelial cells.
Department of Histology and Embryology, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstańców Wlkp. St., Szczecin 70-111, Poland. mola@sci.pam.szczecin.pl
M
M
Marchlewicz
I
I
Baranowska-Bosiacka
A
A
Kolasa
A
A
Kondarewicz
D
D
Chlubek
B
B
Wiszniewska
D000241:Adenosine / Q000032:analysis; D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000032:analysis; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000241:Adenosine; C008261:lead acetate