Abstract
TOMOKUNI, K. Effects of Lead Exposure on the Activity of Erythrocyte Pyrimidine 5'-Nucleotidase and δ-Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase in Mice. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1983, 139 (1), 27-32 - The effects of lead exposure on the activities of erythrocyte pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase (Py5N) and δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) were investigated in the mice given ad libitum the drinking water containing lead at 10 to 500ppm for 30 days. The erythrocyte Py5N activity was significantly inhibited in the 250 and 500ppm groups, and the activity in these groups was dropped to 62-81% of that in the control group. In addition, the erythrocyte Py5N activity was shown to have a significant negative correlation with the concentration of lead in blood (r=-0.79). The erythrocyte Py5N activity would be a better indicator than ALA-D in the exposure to relatively high lead concentrations, although the assay of Py5N is more time-consuming as compared with that of ALA-D, while, the erythrocyte ALA-D activity is useful in the evaluation of exposure to low levels of lead. The erythrocyte Py5N was less stable than ALA-D against heating at 60°C.
