Abstract
Investigations of the mechanisms involved in the neurotoxicity resulting from chronic inorganic lead (Pb) exposure have centered on CNS biogenic amine function on the basis of behavioral and neurochemical findings. The following study examined the time course of the response of dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurons to d-amphetamine (AMPH) in rats chronically exposed to Pb from birth in order to further examine neurochemical mechanisms implicated by previous work. Offspring were exposed to 0.2% Pb acetate via the lactating dam and then weaned to the same drinking solution. At 120–140 days animals were injected with 1.0 mg/kg s.c. of the drug or with saline and sacrificed after various intervals. DA content in nucleus accumbens and corpus striatum in Pb-exposed animals was significantly higher than corresponding levels in controls at 20 minutes post-drug and remained significantly higher than baseline values at 80 minutes after the drug when DA concentrations in controls had returned to normal. These data suggest enhanced AMPH-induced DA synthesis in exposed rats. 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) content was significantly increased in three brain regions in exposed rats given AMPH compared to values in saline-injected exposed animals, indicating a compensation in these areas for the decreases in 5-HIAA values produced by Pb exposure alone. The results of this study reinforce the hypothesis that DA and 5-HT neurons are sensitive to relatively low levels of Pb exposure.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Applegate, C. D., andKuczenski, R. 1983. Amphetamine-induced changes in serotonin metabolism: Opposite effects in hippocampus and striatum. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 9:878.
Bunney, B. S., Walters, J. R., Roth, R. H., andAghajanian, G. K. 1973. Dopaminergic neurons: Effect of antipsychotic drugs and amphetamine on single cell activity. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 185:560–571.
Bunney, B. S., andAghajanian, G. K. 1978. d-Amphetamine-induced depression of central dopamine neurons: Evidence for mediation by both autoreceptors and striatonigral feedback pathway. Naunyn-Schmiede. Arch. Pharmacol. 304:255–261.
Carter, C. J., andPycock, C. J. 1979. The effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine lesions of extrapyramidal and mesolimbic sites on spontaneous motor behavior and amphetamine-induced stereotypy. Naunyn-Schmiede. Arch. Pharmacol. 308:51–54.
Chisolm, J. J., andBrown, D. H. 1975. Micro-scale photofluorometric determination of ‘free erythrocyte porphyrin’ (protoporphyrin IX). Clin. Chem. 21:1669–1682.
Coleman, W. E., andTardiff, R. G. 1979. Contaminant levels in animal feeds used for toxicity studies. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 8:693–702.
Costall, B., Hui, S.-C. G., andNaylor, R. J. The importance of serotonergic mechanisms for the induction of hyperactivity by amphetamine and its antagonism by intra-accumbens (3,4-dihydroxy-phenylamino)-2-imidazoline (DPI). Neuropharmacology 18:605–609.
Dubas, T. C., Stevenson, A., Singhal, R. L., andHrdina, P. D. 1978. Regional alterations of brain biogenic amines in young rats following chronic lead exposure. Toxicol. 9:185–190.
Heffner, T. G., Hartman, J. A., andSeiden, L. S. 1980. A rapid method for the regional dissection of the rat brain. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 13:453–456.
Isaacson, R. L. 1980. Limbic system contributions to goal-directed behavior. Pages 409–423,in Thompson, R. F., Hicks, L. H., andShvyrkov, B. V. (eds.), neural mechanisms of goal-directed behavior and learning. Academic Press, New York.
Jason, K. M., andKellogg, C. K. 1981. Neonatal lead exposure: Effects on development of behavior and striatal dopamine neurons. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 15:641–649.
Kelly, P. H., Seviour, P. W., andIversen, S. D. 1975. Amphetamine and apomorphine responses in the rat following 6-OHDA lesions of the nucleus accumbens septi and corpus striatum. Brain Res. 94:507–522.
Kostas, J., McFarland, D. J., andDrew, W. G. 1978. Lead-induced behavioral disorders in the rat: Effects of amphetamine. Pharmacology 16:226–236.
Kuczenski, R. 1979. Effects of para-chlorophenylalanine on amphetamine and haloperidol-induced changes in striatal dopamine turnover. Brain Res. 164:217–225.
Kuczenski, R. 1980. Amphetamine-haloperidol interactions on striatal and mesolimbic tyrosine hydroxylase activity and dopamine metabolism. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 215:135–142.
Lasley, S. M., Michaelson, I. A., Greenland, R. D., andMcGinnis, P. M. 1984. Simultaneous measurement of tyrosine and tryptophan and related monoamines for determination of neurotransmitter turnover in discrete rat brain regions by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. J. Chromatogr. 305:27–42.
Lasley, S. M., Greenland, R. D., Minnema, D. J., andMichaelson, I. A. 1984. Influence of chronic inorganic lead exposure on regional dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine turnover in rat brain. Neurochem. Res. 9:1675–1688.
Lucchi, L., Memo, M., Airaghi, M. L., Spano, P. F., andTrabucchi, M. 1981. Chronic lead treatment induces in rat a specific and differential effect on dopamine receptors in different brain areas. Brain Res. 213:397–404.
Memo, M., Lucchi, L., Spano, P. F., andTrabucchi, M. 1980. Lack of correlation between the neurochemical and behavioral effects induced by d-amphetamine in chronically lead-treated rats. Neuropharmacology 19:795–799.
Memo, M., Lucchi, L., Spano, P. F., andTrabucchi, M. 1981. Dose-dependent and reversible effects of lead on rat dopaminergic system. Life Sci. 28:795–799.
Moore, K. E., andWuerthele, S. M. 1979. Regulation of nigrostriatal and tuberoinfundibular-hypophyseal dopaminergic neurons. Prog. Neurobiol. 13:325–359.
Nielsen, E. B., andScheel-Kruger, J. 1984. Amphetamine cue: Elicitation by intraaccumbens microinjection. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 10:1072.
Pijnenberg, A. J. J., Honig, W. M. M., van der Heyden, J. A. M., andvan Rossum, J. M. 1976. Effects of chemical stimulation of the mesolimbic dopamine system upon locomotor activity. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 35:45–58.
Rafales, L. S., Bornschein, R. L., Michaelson, I. A., Loch, R. K., andBarker, G. F. 1979. Drug-induced activity in lead-exposed mice. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 10:95–104.
Fafales, L. S., Lasley, S. M., Greenland, R. D., andMandybur, T. 1983. Effects of acrylamide on locomotion and central monoamine function in the rat. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 19:635–644.
Rebec, G. V., Alloway, K. D., andCurtis, S. D. 1981. Apparent serotonergic modulation of the dose-dependent biphasic response of neostriatal neurons produced by damphetamine. Brain Res. 210:277–289.
Reiter, L. W., Anderson, G. E., Laskey, J. W., andCahill, D. F. 1975. Development and behavioral changes in the rat during chronic exposure to lead. Environ. Hlth. Perspec. 12:119–123.
Silbergeld, E. K., andGoldberg, A. M. 1974. Lead-induced behavioral dysfunction: an animal model of hyperactivity. Exp. Neurol. 42:146–157.
Silbergeld, E. K. 1982. Neurochemical and ionic mechanisms of lead neurotoxicity. Pages 1–23,in Prasad, K. N., andVernadakis, A. (eds.) Mechanisms of action of neurotoxic substances, Raven Press, New York.
Sobotka, T. J., andCook, M. P. Postnatal lead acetate exposure in rats: Possible relationship to minimal brain dysfunction. Amer. J. Ment. Defic. 79:5–9.
Walters, J. R., andRoth, R. H. 1976. Dopaminergic neurons—alteration in the sensitivity of tyrosine hydroxylase to inhibition by endogenous dopamine after cessation of impulse flow. Biochem. Pharmacol. 25:649–654.
Walters, J. R., Lanthorn, T. H., Waszczak, B. L., Baring, M. D., Knight, M., andSteardo, L. 1984. Modulation of midbrain dopamine cell activity. Pages 343–351,in Usdin, E., Carlsson, A., Dahlstrom, A., andEngel, J. (eds.), Catecholamines: Neuropharmacology and central nervous system—theoretical aspects, Alan R. Liss, New York.
Wince, L. C., Donovan, C. A., andAzzaro, A. J. 1980. Alterations in the biochemical properties of central dopamine synapses following chronic postnatal PbCO3 exposure. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 214:642–650.
Zenick, H., andGoldsmith, M. 1981. Drug discrimination learning in lead-exposed rats. Science 212:569–571.
Zenick, H., Lasley, S. M., Greenland, R. D., Caruso, V., Succop, P., Price, D., andMichaelson, I. A. 1982. Regional brain distribution of d-amphetamine in leadexposed rats. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 64:52–63.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lasley, S.M., Greenland, R.D., Minnema, D.J. et al. Altered central monoamine response tod-amphetamine in rats chronically exposed to inorganic lead. Neurochem Res 10, 933–944 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00964630
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00964630