title: Unexpected lack of deleterious effects of uranium on physiological systems following a chronic oral intake in adult rat.
abstract: Uranium level in drinking water is usually in the range of microgram-per-liter, but this value may be as much as 100 to 1000 times higher in some areas, which may raise question about the health consequences for human populations living in these areas. Our purpose was to improve knowledge of chemical effects of uranium following chronic ingestion. Experiments were performed on rats contaminated for 9 months via drinking water containing depleted uranium (0.2, 2, 5, 10, 20, 40, or 120 mg/L). Blood biochemical and hematological indicators were measured and several different types of investigations (molecular, functional, and structural) were conducted in organs (intestine, liver, kidneys, hematopoietic cells, and brain). The specific sensitivity of the organs to uranium was deduced from nondeleterious biological effects, with the following thresholds (in mg/L): 0.2 for brain, >2 for liver, >10 for kidneys, and >20 for intestine, indicating a NOAEL (No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level) threshold for uranium superior to 120 m g/L. Based on the chemical uranium toxicity, the tolerable daily intake calculation yields a guideline value for humans of 1350 μg/L. This value was higher than the WHO value of 30 μg/L, indicating that this WHO guideline for uranium content in drinking water is very protective and might be reconsidered.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dublineau
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Maâmar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Souidi
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gueguen
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lestaevel
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bertho
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Line
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manens
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, BP 166, 26702 Pierrelatte Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Delissen
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grison
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Anaïs
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paulard
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monin
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Yseult
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, SRBE, LRTOX, 31 avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rouas
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV, STEME, BP 40035, 78116 Le Vésinet Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loyen
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gourmelon
authors.affiliation: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jocelyne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aigueperse
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000187:drug effects; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014501:Uranium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D015262:Xenobiotics
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D015262:Xenobiotics; C084881:flt3 ligand protein; D014501:Uranium; D002784:Cholesterol; D002794:Choline