title: Lead accumulation and metallothionein content in female rats of different ages and generations after daily intake of Pb-contaminated food.
abstract: Female Wistar rats of different ages (45, 90 and 140 days) and generations (mothers and offspring) were fed a feed containing 2.0mg of Pb kg-1daily from weaning and the Pb accumulation was determined in different organs and in maternal milk, in addition metallothioneins (MTs) content was determined in the liver and kidneys. The results showed that Pb accumulation exhibited the following pattern: bone>liver>kidney>gut>blood cells>muscle>brain>ovary. Bones accumulated the most Pb in all animals, with its concentration increasing with age and prenatal exposure. Pb accumulation in the liver, kidney and blood cells, did not follow a consistent pattern with increasing age and our data did not indicate a relationship between the presence of MTs in liver and kidney and metal accumulation in these organs. However, in the offspring and with increasing age, Pb accumulated in more organs. Mothers fed with Pb produced contaminated milk, exposing their offspring to the metal via nursing Thus, increasing age and prenatal exposure increases susceptibility to Pb toxicity-induced damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Londrina, Postal Box 10011, Londrina, PR 86057-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cássia Regina Bruno
authors.initials: CRB
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Londrina, Postal Box 10011, Londrina, PR 86057-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wagner Ezequiel
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Risso
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Londrina, Postal Box 10011, Londrina, PR 86057-970, Brazil. Electronic address: cbueno@uel.br.
authors.forename: Claudia Bueno Dos Reis
authors.initials: CBDR
authors.lastname: Martinez
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D007854:Lead / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007854:Lead; D008668:Metallothionein
keywords: Feed exposure; Maternal milk; Metal ingestion; Offspring; Organs accumulation; Prenatal exposure