Leonzio C, Fossi M C, Casini S
Departimento di Biologia Ambientale, Universita di Siena, Italy.
Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. 1996 Feb;56(2):244-50. doi: 10.1007/s001289900037.
Chemicals such as heavy metals and polyhalogenated hydrocarbons have a high capacity to interfere with the enzymatic processes responsible for haem biosynthesis. These compounds can produce accumulation in tissues and organs and increased elimination of porphyrins in excreta (Andrew et al, 1990). The development of fast and easy analytical methods and the wide variety of biological media in which porphyrins can be detected have suggested their use as biomarkers of environmental pollution (Akins et al, 1993; De Matteis and Lim 1994). The analysis of porphyrins in the excreta is of special interest because it enables nondestructive monitoring of wild animals in the assessment of threatened or endangered species (Fossi et al, 1994). Methylmercury and PCBs are ubiquitous global pollutants and there is evidence they accumulate in terminal consumers, particularly those belonging to marine trophic chain (Renzoni et al, 1986; Yamashita et al, 1993). There have been some reports on methylmercury-induced (e.g. Woods et al, 1991; Bowers et al, 1992; Miller and Woods 1993) and PCB-induced porphyria (e.g. Vos and Pennings, 1971; Miranda et al, 1987; Elliot et al, 1990; Miranda et al, 1992) but little data on their combined effect. In order to investigate the quality of porphyrins as biomarkers we performed an experiment in which Japanese quail were fed a diet containing methylmercury and polychlorobyphenyls (PCBs as Arochlor 1260) individually or combined in different ratios. The present study aims to provide preliminary data on liver and fecal levels of porphyrins in response to methylmercury and PCB administration, and on whether the indicator is sensitive to synergism or antagonism between the two compounds, administered simultaneously.
重金属和多卤代烃等化学物质具有很强的干扰血红素生物合成相关酶促过程的能力。这些化合物会在组织和器官中蓄积，并使排泄物中卟啉的排出量增加（安德鲁等人，1990年）。快速简便的分析方法的发展以及可检测到卟啉的多种生物介质表明，它们可作为环境污染的生物标志物（阿金斯等人，1993年；德马泰斯和林，1994年）。排泄物中卟啉的分析特别有意义，因为它能在评估受威胁或濒危物种时对野生动物进行无损监测（福西等人，1994年）。甲基汞和多氯联苯是全球普遍存在的污染物，有证据表明它们会在顶级消费者体内蓄积，尤其是那些属于海洋食物链的消费者（伦佐尼等人，1986年；山下等人，1993年）。已有一些关于甲基汞诱导（如伍兹等人，1991年；鲍尔斯等人，1992年；米勒和伍兹，1993年）和多氯联苯诱导的卟啉症（如沃斯和彭宁斯，1971年；米兰达等人，1987年；埃利奥特等人，1990年；米兰达等人，1992年）的报道，但关于它们联合作用的数据很少。为了研究卟啉作为生物标志物的质量，我们进行了一项实验，用含有甲基汞和多氯联苯（以氯丹1260形式的多氯联苯）的饲料单独或以不同比例混合喂养日本鹌鹑。本研究旨在提供关于甲基汞和多氯联苯给药后肝脏和粪便中卟啉水平的初步数据，以及该指标对两种化合物同时给药时的协同作用或拮抗作用是否敏感的数据。
