title: Subacute effects of low dose lead nitrate and mercury chloride exposure on kidney of rats.
abstract: Lead nitrate and mercury chloride are the most common heavy metal pollutants. In the present study, the effects of lead and mercury induced nephrotoxicity were studied in Wistar rats. Lead nitrate (LN, 45 mg/kg b.w/day) and mercury chloride (MC, 0.02 mg/kg b.w/day) and their combination were administered orally for 28 days. Four groups of rats were used in the study: control, LN, MC and LN plus MC groups. Serum biochemical parameters, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzymes and histopathological changes in kidney tissues were investigated in all treatment groups. LN and MC caused severe histopathological changes. It was shown that LN, MC and also co-treatment with LN and MC exposure induced significant increase in serum urea, uric acid and creatinine levels. There were also statistically significant changes in antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, GPx and GST) and lipid peroxidation (MDA) in all groups except control group. In this study, we showed that MC caused more harmful effects than LN in rats.
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Ankara 06500, Turkey. Electronic address: fguzun@gazi.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Fatma Gökçe
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Apaydın
authors.affiliation: Bozok University, Faculty of Arts and Science, Department of Biology, Yozgat 66100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baş
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, Faculty of Gazi Education, Department of Science, Ankara 06500, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalender
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Ankara 06500, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kalender
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects*; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000633:toxicity*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D059551:Toxicity Tests, Subacute; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009566:Nitrates; D014527:Uric Acid; D007854:Lead; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; C017461:lead nitrate; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Biochemical parameters; Histopathology; Kidney; Lead nitrate; Mercury chloride; Oxidative stress