Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Toxicokinetics Section, Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow 226001, India.
Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2007 Sep;24(2):183-8. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2007.05.002. Epub 2007 May 13.
Dose-effect and dose-response relationships in occupational neurotoxicology are rarely studied by means of biochemical methods. In order to investigate the potential neurotoxic effects of lead during occupational exposure to this metal, the activity of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AcChE), as well as blood pressure and pulse, were determined in various artisans in Abeokuta, Nigeria, who have been shown to be occupationally exposed to lead, and these were related to blood lead levels. AcChE activity in the artisans was inhibited to varying extents. While AcChE activity was inhibited to the tune of 39% in the male petrol station attendants, the inhibition amounted to 32% in female petrol station attendants. In other artisans, AcChE inhibition ranged from 31% in the welders to 38% in painters. The lowest inhibition of 15% was obtained in the panel beaters. Correlations, as calculated by Pearson's method, revealed a significant (p<0.001) inverse linear relationship between AcChE activity and blood lead levels (r=-0.40; y=-120.38x+13935.59; p<0.001). Blood pressure and pulse were not significantly different between control and lead-exposed subjects. Our findings suggest that erythrocyte AcChE activity could be used as a biomarker of lead-induced neurotoxicity in occupationally exposed subjects.
职业神经毒理学中很少通过生化方法研究剂量-效应和剂量-反应关系。为了研究职业性接触铅时铅的潜在神经毒性作用，我们测定了尼日利亚阿贝奥库塔市各种工匠的红细胞乙酰胆碱酯酶（AcChE）活性以及血压和脉搏，并将这些与血铅水平相关联。这些工匠被证明职业性接触铅。工匠的 AcChE 活性受到不同程度的抑制。男性加油站服务员的 AcChE 活性抑制了 39%，而女性加油站服务员的抑制率为 32%。在其他工匠中，焊工的 AcChE 抑制率为 31%，油漆工的抑制率为 38%。板金工人的抑制率最低，为 15%。通过 Pearson 方法计算的相关性显示，AcChE 活性与血铅水平之间呈显著的（p<0.001）负线性关系（r=-0.40；y=-120.38x+13935.59；p<0.001）。对照组和铅暴露组之间的血压和脉搏没有显著差异。我们的研究结果表明，红细胞 AcChE 活性可以作为职业性暴露于铅的人群中铅诱导的神经毒性的生物标志物。
