Distribution of lead in the cerebellum of suckling rats following low and high dose lead exposure

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Abstract
The distribution of lead in the cerebellum of suckling Sprague-Dawley rats was examined using a nuclear microprobe for elemental mapping of tissue sections (particle-induced X-ray emission, 3-μm beam of 2.5 MeV protons; micro-PIXE). The rats were injected intraperitoneally with a lead-containing vehicle or vehicle only from ages 1 to 14 days. The calculated doses were 7.8 (low-dose) and 15.6 (high-dose) μg lead/g body weight. The rats were killed at 20 days of age. The vascular system was rinsed quickly with 0.15 M ammonium acetate to obtain determinations of intra-parenchymal lead with minimal influence of lead bound to erythrocytes and plasma proteins. Brains were frozen in propane/propylene in liquid nitrogen. Cryostat sections, 15 μm thick, were air dried on formvar coats that covered a hole, 15 mm in diameter, in a plastic disc, and were used for lead analysis by micro-PIXE. Very low concentrations of lead were found in the brain of controls. Lead levels in homogenates from cerebrum and cerebellum measured by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) were: low-dose 1.2–2.2 μg/g wet weight and high-dose 1.4–2.4 μg/g wet weight. The lead levels measured with the micro-PIXE method were in good agreement with the levels found with AAS. Lead was present in the cerebellar white matter in two to three times higher amounts than in the cortical grey (low-dose white matter 11–18 μg/g dry weight, grey matter 2.0–5.5 μg/g dry weight). This was true for both low and high dose exposed rats. Lead concentrations in rats subjected the high-dose lead exposure were approximately 60% higher than those in low-dose exposed rats. Concentrations were lower in the Purkinje cell layer than in other parts of the cortex. These new findings on the distribution of lead in suckling rats are discussed in relation to the pathogenesis of experimental lead encephalopathy.