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Effect of prenatal and neonatal exposure to lead on the affinity and number of estradiol receptors in the uterus

Journal Article · · J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States)

Female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with lead chloride (20 ppm or 200 ppm Pb) or sodium chloride (controls) in their drinking water. Three treatment regimens were employed: (I) rats were treated prior to mating and uteri were removed from 21-d-old offspring, (II) treatments were begun when females were in d 7 of pregnancy and continued on the dams until the pups were 21 d old, and half of these offspring were continued on the Pb treatments and half on saline, with uteri removed during diestrus when female offspring were approximately 150 d old; (III) female rats were treated from d 21 to d 35 and then uteri were removed. Estradiol-receptor binding and affinity were determined on the uterine tissues. Treatment with lead prior to mating (group I) resulted in a significant increase in estradiol-receptor affinity (K/sub a/) in 21-d-old offspring without a change in estradiol receptor number (N). Treatment from d 7 of pregnancy until weaning of the pups resulted in approximately 35% decrease in estradiol receptors per milligram uterine protein when these offspring reached 150 d of age (group II). Similarly, treatment with Pb from d 21 until d 35 or until d 150 resulted in a significant decrease in uterine estradiol receptor number at 35 and 150 d, respectively, while the K/sub a/ was significantly increased by the exposure to Pb. The results demonstrate that prenatal and/or postnatal exposure to PB alters the number and affinity of estradiol receptors in the prepubertal and adult rat uterus.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Western Ontario, London (Canada)
OSTI ID:
6754332
Journal Information:
J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 24:4; ISSN JTEHD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English