Investigation of the impact of Lead exposure on the inorganic and organic compounds profile of lung tissue in a rat model
Authors: Attafi Ibraheem Mohammed , Korashy Hesham Mohammed , Al Bakheet Saleh A. , Abu Jabal Khalid A. , Belali Osamah M. 
Published: June 2021

The heavy metal lead (Pb) is considered one of the highly toxic substances among environmental pollutant that have entered and accumulated in the lung, the major soft organ for exposure, and alter multiple biological functions. These alterations may act as a driving force for the susceptibility to various diseases, including lung diseases, and it may be mediated through the changes in inorganic ions and organic compound level in lung tissues. These changes may responsible for immune toxic effects of Pb exposure and could be used as biomarkers that may provide observable end points of events of lung disease induction. Therefore, we investigated the production of inorganic ions and organic compound in lung tissues by Pb exposure in vivo rat model, which may explain the histopathological changes and identify the biological mechanisms of Pb induced lung disease. Wistar albino rats were subdivided into fourth groups; three groups were exposed for 3 consecutive days with intraperitoneal injection of Pb nitrate (Pb(NO3)2) (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) while the control group was injected with intraperitoneal saline and all groups were sacrificed on the fourth day. Serum biomarkers, histopathology, and lung tissues homogenate contents of inorganic ions and organic compound were investigated. Lung tissues were extracted by solid‐phase extraction method and inorganic ions and organic compound were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and gas chromatography mass spectrometry, respectively. Serum analysis reflected significant increase serum myeloperoxidase, creatine kinase‐MB, and lactate dehydrogenase, while slightly decrease in immunoglobulin IgG. These serum biomarkers alterations are associated with significant increase the lung distribution of Pb in a dose dependent manner, while the inversely proportion to the lung concentrations of magnesium in a dose dependent manner. In addition, the histopathological changes indicative of severe lung interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. Moreover, the organic compound profile in lung tissues affected due to Pb exposure were identified, among them mainly tyrosine and p‐octylacetophenone were only detected in Pb‐exposed group and the high percentage peak area of butyltrimethoxysilane, 1‐hexadecanol, 1‐nonadecene, methyl stearate, and 1,2‐octadecanediol, which modulate lung immune responses, were found in Pb‐exposed compared to control group in a dose dependent manner. The present study demonstrates that Pb exposure is associated with the changes in the profile of inorganic ions and organic compounds of lung tissues that may play a role in initiation of inflammatory lung diseases.

Support or Funding Information

This Project was funded by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Award Number (1‐17‐03‐001‐0025)

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.