Immediate and delayed effects of lead on AChE, GSH-T and thiols in the substantia nigra, neostriatum and cortex of the rat brain

We studied the effects, at 10 and 30 min, of a single dose (10 mg kg(-1)) o f lead chloride, administered by the intraperitoneal route, on the activiti es of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glutathione transferase (GSH-T) and o n the concentrations of total and non-protein thiols in substantia nigra co mpacta (SNCO) and substantia nigra reticulata (SNRE), caudate putamen (CAU) and cerebral cortex (CC) from adult male rats in comparison with the effec ts of this metal at 24 and 72 h. The main immediate effects of lead consist ed of decreased GSH-T activity and total and non-protein thiol concentratio ns in CAU and CC 10 min after administration. These effects were reversed a fter 30 min but with increased GSH-T activity in SNCO and AChE activity in SNRE along with diminished concentration of homogenate proteins in SNRE, CA U and CC. The GSH-T activity again was increased in SNCO but the AChE activ ity was decreased in CC 24 h after Ph administration; total and non-protein thiol concentrations were diminished but homogenate protein concentration was augmented in all areas. Finally, 72 h after Ph administration, AChE and GSH-T activities were decreased in CAU and CC, accompanied by an increased concentration of precipitate and supernatant proteins; supernatant protein concentration also was augmented in SNCO and SNRE; here, again, the concen trations of total and non-protein thiols were diminished and the homogenate protein concentration was augmented in all areas. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.