Effect of prenatal and postnatal exposure to lead on kidney function in male and female rats

✍ Scribed by A. Vyskocil; M. Cizkova; I. Tejnorova

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 186 KB
• Volume: 15
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0260-437X
• DOI: 10.1002/jat.2550150416

✦ Synopsis

The effect of 5 months' exposure to 0.5% lead acetate in drinking water on the kidney function of developing rats was studied. In both sexes, lead exposure produced a significant elevation of the kidney weight and after 3 months' treatment both male and female rats showed signs of tubular impairment. In male rats increased P2-microglobulin and lactate dehydrogenase excretion was observed. Lysozyme was increased after 5 months of exposure. No changes were observed in total proteins and albumin excretion. Female rats showed a significantly increased excretion of P,-microglobulin from 3 months onwards, while lactate dehydrogenase increased only at the end of 3 months and total proteins after 5 months of exposure. No changes were observed in lysozyme and albumin excretion. Thus, the results suggest that lead exposure produces changes in the renal tubular function of developing rat. There is no sex difference in the nephrotoxicity of lead. Comparison with our previous studies suggests that exposure to lead starting at weaning is more renotoxic than exposure starting 2 months later. However, prenatal exposure might also have been a contributory factor.