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.
Marchlewicz
M
M
Department of Histology and Embryology, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstańców Wlkp. St., Szczecin 70-111, Poland. mola@sci.pam.szczecin.pl
Baranowska-Bosiacka
I
I
Kolasa
A
A
Kondarewicz
A
A
Chlubek
D
D
Wiszniewska
B
B
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