Lead (Pb) poisoning has always been a serious health concern, as it permanently damages the central nervous system. Chronic Pb accumulation in the human body disturbs oligodendrocytes (OLs) differentiation, resulting in dysmyelination, but the molecular mechanism remains unknown. In this study, Pb at 1 μM inhibits OLs precursor cells (OPCs) differentiation via decreasing the expression of Olig ...

A spectroscopic investigation of the complexes formed between the Pb(II) ion and D-penicillamine (H2Pen), a chelating agent used in the treatment of lead poisoning, was carried out on two sets of alkaline aqueous solutions with CPb(II) ≈ 10 and 100 mM, varying the H2Pen/Pb(II) molar ratio (2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 10.0). Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectra of the 10 mM Pb(II) solutions consistently show...

Exposure to lead (Pb) can induce kidney injury and our recent studies have found that Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) injection, a traditional Chinese medicine, could protect against the organ injury induced by iron overload. This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of SM injection on nephrotoxicity induced by Pb acetate in mice and to elucidate the potential mechanism(s). Healthy...

We compared two commonly used primary screening methods (FEP and ZnP) for detecting Pb poisoning in children, used according to three major protocols. The results showed that FEP and ZnP values were comparable for only 36% of the children examined; 54% had FEP greater than ZnP and 10% had ZnP greater than FEP. One would identify approximately twice as many children with Pb greater than 300 micr...

Recent studies suggest that the developmental toxicity associated with childhood lead poisoning may be attributable to interactions of Pb(II) with proteins containing thiol-rich structural zinc-binding sites. Here, we report detailed structural studies of Pb(II) in such sites, providing critical insights into the mechanism by which lead alters the activity of these proteins. X-ray absorption sp...

Lead is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant; nearly 5% of American children are affected by lead poisoning (a blood lead level (BLL) of 10 mgdL 1 or higher). Even lower BLLs have been shown to cause many subtle health effects in children. Lead, which is found in paint and soil, causes toxicity by several possible mechanisms. Pb interacts with several zinc enzymes or proteins (such as carboni...

Although the neurotoxic effects of lead (Pb) are well documented, the subcellular mechanisms of its action in the central nervous system are not fully understood. The present work examined some parameters of energy metabolism in nerve endings of the brains of adult rats exposed to Pb. We applied the model of acute Pb toxicity in vivo, imitating the acute action of lead observed in occupationall...

BACKGROUND Childhood lead poisoning has not made the list of national public health priorities in Lebanon. This study aims at identifying the prevalence and risk factors for elevated blood lead concentrations (B-Pb >or= 100 microg/L) among 1-3 year old children. It also examines the need for universal blood lead screening. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study of 281 well children, presenti...

Lead is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant; nearly 5% of American children are affected by lead poisoning (a blood lead level (BLL) of 10 mgdL 1 or higher). Even lower BLLs have been shown to cause many subtle health effects in children. Lead, which is found in paint and soil, causes toxicity by several possible mechanisms. Pb interacts with several zinc enzymes or proteins (such as carboni...