Lead Detoxification: the Role of Essential Metals and Metallothionein

Zsuzsa Szitányi, Csilla Nemes, and Noémi Rozlosnik

Eötvös University, Department of Atomic Physics, Budapest, Hungary

Corresponding author: Zsuzsa Szitányi

Eötvös University, Department of Atomic Physics,

1088 Budapest Puskin u. 5–7. Hungary

Telephone: (+36) 1-267-0820 Ext.2504

CEJOEM 1998, Vol.4. No.1.:51-58

Key words:
Metallothionein, detoxification, lead, heavy metal, iron.

Abbreviations:
Mt – metallothionein
ICP-AES – inductive coupled plasma emission spectrometer
ELISA – enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
d-ALA – delta-amino-levulinic-acid
d-ALAD – delta-amino-levulinic-acid-dehydratase
BSA – bovine serum albumin

Abstract:
The extremely high lead level of the air is a serious environmental problem in Hungary, especially in the inner districts of Budapest. The toxic effects of lead are well-known. The nervous system and the haem synthesis are the two main points where the symptoms presents themselves first. The common feature is that lead replaces Zn, Cu, Fe, Ca cations or inhibits the enzymes related to these cations. The correlation between lead and essential metal (Zn, Cu, Fe, Ca) concentration in blood has been studied for several years. Not only these cations but some related proteins can regulate blood lead levels. We investigated the role of metallothionein and essential metals in connection with lead detoxification. We examined the blood samples taken from sixty patients who live in the inner districts of Budapest. The concentration of heavy metals was measured by ICP-AES. The metallothionein level was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Correlation was found between the levels of metallothionein, lead, zinc and iron.

Received: 16 June 1997
Accepted: 26 November 1997

| Back | Posted: 15 November 1998