delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase enzyme activity in blood, brain, and liver of lead-dosed ducks

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

OSTI ID:5642883

Dieter, M P ^[1]; Finley, M T

---

1. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD

Mallard ducks were dosed with a single shotgun pellet (ca. 200 mg lead). After 1 month there was about 1 ppM lead in blood, 2.5 in liver, and 0.5 in brain. Lead-induced inhibition of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase enzyme in blood and cerebellum was much greater than in cerebral hemisphere or liver and was strongly correlated with the lead concentration in these tissues. The cerebellar portion of the brain was more sensitive to delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase enzyme inhibition by lead than were the other tissues examined. There was also a greater increase in the glial cell marker enzyme, butyrylcholinesterase, in cerebellum than in cerebral hemisphere, suggesting that nonregenerating neuronal cells were destroyed by lead and replaced by glial cells in that portion of the brain. Even partial loss of cerebellar tissue is severely debilitating in waterfowl, because functions critical to survival such as visual, auditory, motor, and reflex responses are integrated at this brain center.

• OSTI ID: 5642883
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Res.; (United States) Vol. 19:1; ISSN ENVRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550500 -- Metabolism
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMMUNITION
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIRDS
BLOOD
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
BRAIN
CATALYSIS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DATA
DATA FORMS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
DUCKS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENZYMES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOWL
GLANDS
INFORMATION
ISOLATED VALUES
LEAD
LIVER
MATERIALS
METABOLISM
METALS
NERVE CELLS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANS
SOMATIC CELLS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES