XRF-measured bone lead (Pb) as a biomarker for Pb exposure and toxicity among children diagnosed with Pb poisoning

Childhood lead (Pb) poisoning remains a global issue, especially in industrial areas. In this study, 115 children with average age 5.7 years were recruited as either patient diagnosed with Pb poisoning or controls at Xinhua Hospital in China. The subjects’ bone Pb was measured with a K-shell X-ray fluorescence (KXRF) and a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) system. A significant correlation between KXRF bone Pb and blood Pb and portable XRF and KXRF measurements were observed. The half-life of blood-lead was calculated to be 9.96?±?3.92 d. Our results indicate that bone is a useful biomarker for Pb in children.     

Estimation of Dietary Pb and Cd Intake from Pb and Cd in Blood or Urine

Successful trials were made to estimate the dietary daily intake of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) via foods from the levels of the metals in blood or urine. In practice, 14 and 15 reports were available for Pb and Cd in blood (Pb-B and Cd-B), urine (Pb-U and Cd-U) and 24-h diet duplicates (Pb-D and Cd-D), respectively, from which 68 pairs each of Pb or Cd in blood and food duplicates [each being geometric mean (GM) values for the survey sites] were obtained. Regression analysis revealed that there was a significant correlation between Pb-B and Pb-D, and also between Cd-B and Cd-D, suggesting that it should be possible to estimate both Pb-D and Cd-D from Pb-B and Cd-B, respectively. For Cd-U, the number of available cases was limited (20 pairs), but a significant correlation was detected between Cd-U (as Cd-U_cr, or Cd levels in urine as corrected for creatinine concentration) and Cd-D. Care should be taken in estimating Pb-D from Pb-B, as the ratio of Pb-D over Pb-B may decrease as a function of increasing Pb-B levels. The Pb-D (μg/day) for typical Japanese women with Pb-B of 15 μg/l was best estimated to be 13.5 μg/day. No Cd-B- or Cd-U_cr-dependent change was detected in case of Cd. The best estimate of Cd-D for Cd-B at 1.5 μg/l should be about 19.4 μg/day.     

Mobility of Pb in Sphagnum-derived peat

One important assumption in applying²¹⁰Pb-dating is that atmospherically deposited Pb is immobilized in the peat or sediment column. This assumption has been challenged widely, but has never been evaluated experimentally. We evaluated Pb mobility and the chemical forms in which Pb is stabilized in peat profiles by adding either soluble or particulate Pb to intact peat cores that were maintained under different water level regimes (permanently high, permanently low, fluctuating between high and low) and were subjected to simulated precipitation over a five month period. By analyzing the behavior of stable Pb we made inferences about the expected behavior of²¹⁰Pb. Results indicate that added soluble Pb²⁺ was retained in the peat through physiochemical binding to organic matter, and as such Pb²⁺ was largely immobile in peat even under conditions of a fluctuating water table. Added particulate Pb was largely (most likely by physical entrapment), but not completely, immobilized in peat. In none of the water table treatments was there evidence to support mobility of Pb by alternating formation and oxidation of Sulfides, or by any other mechanism. The binding of Pb²⁺ with organic matter at the peat surface, and the absence of Pb mobility lend credence to²¹⁰Pb-dating ofSphagnum-dominated peat deposits, which are over 90% organic matter throughout, and have high cation exchange capacities.     

Pb胁迫条件下3种叶菜的生长和生理响应及其抗性差异

采用水培法研究了不同浓度(24、120和240 μmol·L-1)Pb胁迫条件下花芽甜麦菜(Sonchus lingiaus)、碧绿粗苔菜心(Brassica chinensis var. utilis)和空心菜(Ipomoea aquatica)生长和部分生理指标(包括游离脯氨酸含量及SOD、POD和CAT活性)以及Pb吸收量的变化,并通过隶属函数法对3种叶菜的Pb抗性进行了综合比较.结果表明:Pb胁迫对3种叶菜单株地上部分鲜质量总体上影响不明显.随Pb胁迫浓度的提高,3种叶菜地上部分和地下部分Pb含量逐渐升高,且地下部分Pb含量均高于地上部分,Pb转运系数则显著降低(P＜0.05);按Pb含量由高至低依次为空心菜、碧绿粗苔菜心、花芽甜麦菜.在Pb胁迫条件下,花芽甜麦菜中游离脯氨酸含量均略低于对照但差异不显著(P＞0.05),空心菜中游离脯氨酸含量均显著高于对照,而碧绿粗苔菜心的游离脯氨酸含量仅在120和240 μmol·L-1Pb胁迫条件下显著高于对照.随Pb胁迫浓度提高,3种叶菜SOD活性呈逐渐增加的趋势,但总体上与对照差异不显著;经Pb胁迫处理后,3种叶菜的CAT活性或高于或低于对照,但在240 μmol·L-1Pb胁迫条件下花芽甜麦菜的CAT活性显著低于对照、碧绿粗苔菜心和空心菜的CAT活性显著高于对照;Pb胁迫后3种叶菜的POD活性未表现出明显的规律.经过综合评价,3种叶菜对Pb的抗性由大至小依次为碧绿粗苔菜心、空心菜、花芽甜麦菜.经过主成分分析,确定3种叶菜的游离脯氨酸含量、SOD和CAT活性为Pb胁迫的响应因子.     

玉米籽粒重金属铅(Pb2+)含量的QTL定位

铅(Pb²⁺)是现存环境最大量的有毒重金属污染元素,在我国特别是西南地区种植的玉米受重金属Pb²⁺污染日益严重,已严重影响到食物安全。文章利用玉米籽粒Pb²⁺低富集自交系178和籽粒Pb²⁺高富集自交系9782杂交衍生的重组自交系群体为作图群体,利用165对SSR多态性标记,构建了总长度为1499.85 cM、标记间平均距离为9.07 cM的分子遗传图谱,对玉米籽粒Pb²⁺含量性状进行了QTL定位分析,以期为选育籽粒低富集Pb²⁺的玉米新品种提供参考。结果表明,在Pb²⁺浓度为333.32 mg/kg胁迫下,共检测到2个与籽粒Pb²⁺含量相关的QTL,分别位于玉米第1、第4号染色体,其中qPC1位于标记区间umc1661~phi002h之间,表型贡献率为11.13%,加性效应为0.062;qPC4位于umc1117~nc005之间,表型贡献率为5.55%,加性效应为-0.044。性状相关分析结果表明,籽粒中Pb²⁺含量与穗长、穗粗、行粒数、穗重和百粒重等产量性状间均未达到显著水平,表明选育玉米籽粒Pb²⁺低富集的新自交系或杂交种不一定会影响到产量性状,而且籽粒Pb²⁺含量是一个相对独立的遗传性状。     

Human Pb,human post-Pb,and nonhuman primate Pb proteins: Immunological and biochemical relationships

The isolation and characterization of a protein from human parotid saliva termed the "post-Pb protein" is described. By several criteria, this protein is closely related to the human Pb proteins. When reacted against antisera to human Pb protein in double diffusion, the post-Pb protein is found to be related to the Pb proteins by lines of identity. However, when the partial N-terminal amino acid sequences of the post-Pb protein and Pb proteins are compare, the sequences are not identical. Because of the similarity in size of the Pb and post-Pb proteins and because of the observed sequence differences, any product-precursor relationship between the Pb and post-Pb proteins is unlikely. The post-Pb protein probably is the product of a genetic locus different from the Pb locus. Two additional species of nonhuman primates (Papio papio and P. sphinx) have been found to have Pb proteins electrophoretically similar to these found in the rhesus monkey and differing from those in the human. The isolated Pb proteins of the rhesus monkey have been found to have close biochemical and immunological relationships to the human Pb proteins.     

Arabidopsis ACBP1 overexpressors are Pb(II)-tolerant and accumulate Pb(II)

In our recent paper in the Plant Journal, we demonstrated that Arabidopsis thaliana acyl-CoA-binding protein ACBP1 binds lead [Pb(II)], its mRNA is induced by Pb(II)-treatment and transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing ACBP1 are conferred Pb(II) tolerance and accumulate Pb(II). Our results suggest that ACBP1 overexpressors are potentially useful for applications in phytoremediation. Since very few plant proteins that bind and accumulate Pb(II) have been identified, our findings provide a feasible method in phytoremediating Pb(II).Key words: acyl-CoA-binding proteins, heavy metals, Pb(II) accumulation, phytoremediation, plasma membrane     

Cd、Pb投加浓度对其在黑土中化学形态分布及油菜生长和吸收Cd、Pb的影响

采用室内模拟实验和连续形态分级方法研究了Cd、Pb投加浓度对其在黑土中化学形态分布及油菜生长和吸收Cd、Pb量的影响.结果表明:随Cd、Pb投加量的增加,土壤中Cd交换态含量增幅较大,Pb碳酸盐结合态、Fe-Mn氧化物结合态含量增幅较大;外源Cd在土壤中的存在形态以交换态和残留态为主,Pb的交换态比例相对较低,其存在形态主要为残留态;土壤Cd、Pb投加浓度较低时,促进了油菜的生长,投加浓度较高时,对油菜生长的抑制作用较为明显;地下部分Cd、Pb含量远高于地上部分,与Cd相比,Pb向地上部的迁移率相对较小;土壤中Cd、Pb各形态含量与油菜地下、地上部分吸收的Cd、Pb量均呈显著正相关,与干质量呈负相关;交换态Cd、Pb对油菜干质量影响最大,碳酸盐结合态对油菜吸收Cd、Pb的贡献最大.     

The combined use of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Pb40 and Pb27 recombinant proteins enhances chemotherapy effects in experimental paracoccidioidomycosis

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is the etiological agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a chronic granulomatous mycosis prevalent in Latin America, and cell-mediated immunity represents the main mode of protection against this fungal infection. The conventional treatment for this mycosis involves long periods of therapy resulting in sequels and a high frequency of relapse. The search for new alternative methods of treatment is thus necessary. With this aim, the objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of rPb27 and rPb40 immunization to reduce treatment length and the frequency of relapse when used as an adjuvant to fluconazole chemotherapy in experimental PCM. Combined treatment with the drug and the two proteins reduced CFUs in the lung, liver and spleen to undetectable levels and largely preserved the tissue structure of these organs. At the same time, IFN-γ and TNF-α levels were higher in mice treated as described above than in infected-only mice, while very low production of IL-10 and TGF-β was observed in this treated group. Thus, the combined treatment, using immunization with the two recombinant proteins in addition to fluconazole chemotherapy, showed an additive protective effect after intratracheal challenge. These results provide new prospects for immunotherapy as a treatment for PCM.     

Kinetic analysis of acetylation-dependent Pb1 bromodomain-histone interactions

Stopped-flow fluorescence anisotropy was used to determine the kinetic parameters that define acetylation-dependent bromodomain-histone interactions. Bromodomains are acetyllysine binding motifs found in many chromatin associated proteins. Individual bromodomains were derived from the polybromo-1 protein, which is a subunit of the PBAF chromatin-remodeling complex that has six tandem bromodomains in the amino-terminal region. The average k(on) and k(off) values for the formation of high-affinity complexes are 275 M(-1) s(-1) and 0.41 x 10(-3) s(-1), respectively. The average k(on) and k(off) values for the formation of low-affinity complexes are 119 M(-1) s(-1) and 1.42 x 10(-3) s(-1), respectively. Analysis of the on- and off-rates yields acetylation site-dependent equilibrium dissociation constants averaging 1.4 and 12.9 microM for high- and low-affinity complexes, respectively. This work represents the first examination of kinetic mechanisms of acetylation-dependent bromodomain-histone interactions.     

铅污染对青杨雌雄幼苗铅富集和营养特征的影响

该研究以青杨雌雄幼苗为实验材料,采用盆栽控制实验的方式,设置20.5(CK)、50(T1)和100mg·kg-1(T2)3个铅浓度水平,分析面源水平铅污染条件下青杨性别间铅的积累和营养状况的差异。结果表明:(1)与CK相比,面源水平铅污染条件下,青杨雄株幼苗的总生物量未受到显著影响,雌株总生物量显著降低,但相同处理条件下雌株生物量均显著高于雄株。(2)2个梯度的铅污染均未显著影响两种性别青杨各器官中N的浓度,且雌雄间的性别差异不显著,但T2处理一定程度降低了两种性别各器官中P的浓度;与CK相比,雄株在受铅胁迫处理时N/P逐渐增加,说明此时雄株的生长可能会逐渐受到P素营养缺乏的影响。(3)随着铅处理浓度的增加,青杨雌株幼苗对铅的积累总量逐步增加,但雄株的积累总量的增加却不显著。可见,青杨雄株在面源水平铅污染条件下的抗性和耐受性优于雌株;雌雄青杨对土壤铅污染有不同的适应策略,雌株对铅的积累策略是其生物量下降以及营养平衡受到影响的主要原因,雄株对铅低吸收的策略使其更适应在铅污染区域生长。     

Process of Pb2 accumulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Most of the Pb2+ taken up by Saccharomyces cerevisae was deposited in the inner part of the cells after 2 h. In the Pb2 accumulation experiments, the time to reach an equilibrium state was significantly shortened from 96 h to 24 h as the cell dry weight increased from 0.56 g/l to 5.18 g/l. The penetration time of Pb2+ to reach on the interacellular region (2 h) was quite different from that on the extracellular region (3 min). In the case of S. cerevisiae, the first step which a Pb2+ binds to cell wall within 3[f]5 min is metabolism-independent and the second step within 24 h is metabolism-dependent followed by the third step which is metabolism-dependent or -independent after 24 h.     

Phytoremediation of Pb contaminated soil with polymer-coated EDTA

EDTA-assisted phytoextraction of lead (Pb) has been developed, but concerns have arisen due to the possibility of leaching of both Pb and EDTA to ground water caused by uncontrolled release. We developed five types of controlled-release EDTA (polymer-coated EDTA) by coating the EDTA with a polyolefin polymer. A test of the release rate showed that the duration for the release of 75% of total EDTA ranged from 3 to 210 days. A pot experiment was conducted to compare the effect of these polymer-coated EDTA and non-coated EDTA on the concentrations of Pb and EDTA in soil solution, and Pb accumulation in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. cv. EARLY SUMAC) in a Pb-contaminated soil. One of the polymer-coated EDTAs, C-EDTA-4, with a release period of 80 days proved to be the best in decreasing Pb and EDTA concentrations in soil solution, and increasing Pb accumulation in sorghum shoots compared to the direct application of EDTA. Our results suggest that polymer-coated EDTA has a potential for phytoextraction of Pb with a reduced environmental risk.     

小麦对Pb胁迫的生理生化反应研究

为了确定Pb污染土壤对植物生态系统造成的影响,运用植物幼苗早期生长实验,研究了Pb不同浓度(50、100、200、300)对小麦幼苗叶片的超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)活性、可溶性蛋白含量、丙二醛(MDA)以及叶片中叶绿素含量的影响。结果表明,Pb污染土壤对小麦的生理系统产生明显的影响,小麦叶片可溶性蛋白含量可以很好的指示土壤Pb污染的胁迫。在Pb胁迫下,小麦叶片MDA含量并没有显著增加;小麦植株叶片POD酶活能够被诱导而升高,小麦叶片中SOD酶活性没有一致的变化规律;幼苗受到损伤的明显症状之一是叶片叶绿素含量下降;重金属对小麦幼苗的毒害机理之一是抑制了蛋白质的生物合成。     

Pb and Cd uptake in rice roots

Pb and Cd are heavy metal pollutants that inhibit plant growth. Using a cultivated rice variety (Dongjin, Oryza sativa L.), we studied how the transport and toxicity of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ are affected by the presence of K⁺, Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺. K⁺ had a little effect on uptake or toxicity of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺. Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺ blocked both Cd²⁺ transport into rice roots and Cd²⁺ toxicity on root growth, which suggested that their detoxification effect is directly related to their blocking of entry of the heavy metals. Similarly, Ca²⁺ blocked both Pb²⁺ transport into the root and Pb²⁺ toxicity on root growth. The protective effect of Ca²⁺ on Pb²⁺ toxicity may be related to its inhibition of the heavy metal accumulation in the root tip, a potential target site of Pb²⁺ toxicity. Mg²⁺ did not ameliorate the Pb²⁺ toxicity on root growth as much as Ca²⁺ did, although it decreased Pb²⁺ uptake into roots similarly as Ca²⁺ did. These results suggest that the protective effect of Ca²⁺ on Pb²⁺ toxicity may involve multiple mechanisms including competition at the entry level, and that Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ may compete with divalent cations for transport into roots of rice plants.     

土壤和叶面Pb污染对小麦生长及体内Pb分布和积累的影响

通过土壤添加Pb和叶面喷施Pb溶液的方式研究了Pb污染对小麦(Triticum aestivum L. )地上部分和籽粒干质量的影响,并对Pb污染条件下小麦体内Pb的分布和积累规律以及Pb污染浓度与籽粒Pb含量的相关性、叶片Pb含量与籽粒Pb含量的相关性进行了分析.结果表明:土壤中Pb添加量为2 000 mg·kg-1时,小麦地上部分和籽粒的干质量分别较对照下降了15.5%和13.3%,差异显著(P<0.05);叶面喷施100 mg·L-1Pb溶液,小麦地上部分和籽粒干质量分别较对照下降了10.3%和15.5%,差异显著(P<0.05).在土壤和叶面Pb污染条件下,小麦各器官的Pb含量均随Pb污染浓度的提高而增大;在土壤Pb污染条件下,小麦根中的Pb含量远高于其他器官,籽粒中的Pb含量最低;在叶面Pb污染条件下,小麦叶片中的Pb含量远高于其他器官,籽粒和根中的Pb含量较低.回归分析结果表明,小麦籽粒中的Pb含量与Pb污染浓度呈极显著正相关(P<0.001),籽粒中的Pb含量与土壤Pb总含量和叶面Pb污染浓度的曲线方程分别为: y＝0.269+0.001 05x+2.736×10-7x2-1.707×10-10x3和y＝0.465+0.013x-1.1×10-5x2+3.96×10-9x3;土壤中总的Pb毒性临界值为209.3 mg·kg-1,叶面Pb的毒性临界值为2.6 mg·L-1;在土壤和叶面Pb污染条件下,小麦籽粒中的Pb含量与叶片Pb含量间呈极显著的正相关(P<0.01),回归方程分别为:y=0.120 1x+0.076和y=0.001 6x+ 0.601 1,据此,在土壤和大气Pb污染条件下,可通过测定小麦叶片的Pb含量预测小麦籽粒中的Pb含量.     

入侵植物假苍耳对土壤中铜、铅重金属污染的富集特征

通过室内盆栽试验研究入侵植物假苍耳(Iva xanthifolia)在营养生长阶段对铜、铅的耐性及富集特征。实验结果表明,在1~16 mg·L^-1的添加铜处理及0.5~14 mg·L^-1的添加铅处理条件下,假苍耳对铜、铅两种单一金属均有很强的耐性及富集作用,重金属在植物体地上部和地下部的富集量分别为607.59、137.20,404.38、34.53 mg·kg^-1,对应的富集系数为11.39、4.18,转运系数4.43、11.71,且重金属在植物体内的分布规律均表现为：茎部＞叶片＞根部,地上部分的积累量远大于地下部分。对叶色、株高及生物量等特征的观察表明假苍耳的生长未受到抑制,符合超富集植物的基本特征。与一般超富集植物相比,假苍耳作为一种外来入侵植物,具有生长迅速、植物材料易得,生物量大且分布范围广的优点。     

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence of Pb(II)-bromide complexes

The electrochemistry and electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of Pb₄Br₁₁ ³⁻ in acetonitrile solution is reported. Pb₄Br₁₁ ³⁻ is formed in situ by the reaction of lead(II) and bromide ions with ECL generated upon sweep to positive potentials using tri-n-propylamine (TPrA) as an oxidative-reductive coreactant. An ECL efficiency (φ_ecl) of 0.0079 was obtained compared to Ir(ppy)₃ (ppy=2-phenylpyridine; φ_ecl=1). The ECL intensity peaks at a potential corresponding to oxidation of TPrA and Pb₄Br₁₁ ³⁻ indicating that emission is from the lead-bromide cluster.