Lead poisoning and reproduction: effects on pituitary and serum gonadotropins in neonatal rats

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-9351(79)90063-X· OSTI ID:5406911

Petrusz, P; Weaver, C M; Grant, L D; Mushak, P; Krigman, M R

In order to investigate the effects of neonatal lead poisoning on pituitary gonadotropic function, newborn rats were given daily doses of lead (25, 100, and 200 mg/kg) by gastric gavage. Control rats were given deionized water. Groups of animals were sacrificed at 10, 15, and 20 days of age and serum and pituitary levels of the gonadotropins follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) as well as pituitary contents of luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined by radioimmunoassay. Lead concentrations in blood, bone, brain, and pituitary tissues of similarly treated 15-day-old rats were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Lead content in bone (femur) and brain showed dose-dependent elevations throughout the dose range; in blood, it reached a plateau of about 1000 ..mu..g% already at the dose of 100 mg/kg/day. Lead remained at undetectable levels (< 0.01 ..mu..g/g) in pituitary tissue regardless of the dose. There were no significant differences between lead-treated and control rats in body weights, pituitary weights, pituitary LH contents in either sex, and serum FSH levels in males. Lead exposure increased pituitary FSH content in male rats at all ages studied, and suppressed serum FSH levels in 15-day-old females. These results suggest that the effects of subclinical neonatal lead poisoning on gonadal development and subsequent function, especially in the female, may be mediated by central neuroendocrine mechanisms.

• Research Organization: Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• OSTI ID: 5406911
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Res.; (United States) Vol. 19:2; ISSN ENVRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BLOOD SERUM
BODY
DATA
DATA FORMS
DISTRIBUTION
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELEMENTS
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FSH
GLANDS
GONADOTROPINS
GONADS
HORMONES
INFORMATION
ISOLATED VALUES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LEAD
LH
MAMMALS
METALS
NEONATES
NUMERICAL DATA
ORAL ADMINISTRATION
ORGANS
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PITUITARY GLAND
PITUITARY HORMONES
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIOASSAY
RADIOIMMUNOASSAY
RATS
REPRODUCTION
RODENTS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TOXICITY
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VERTEBRATES