Abstract
Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is the first and the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis. Polyamines play key roles in cell proliferation, renal membrane transportation, and plasma membrane calcium fluxes. As part of a multidisciplinary research project to evaluate the application of the rabbit as a relevant model for male reproductive toxicology, the effect of blood lead on rabbit renal ODC activity was investigated. Kidneys from rabbits with experimentally established total blood lead concentrations of 0, 20, 40, and 80 mug/dL and maintained at these concentrations for 10 weeks were removed at sacrifice and assayed for ODC activity. ODC activity of rabbit kidney decreased as blood lead concentration increased in a dose-dependent manner. Direct addition of lead to ODC assay mixture did not alter ODC activity. At the blood lead concentrations examined, body weights of each group increased constantly throughout the study period. Overt lead toxicity was not present among the rabbits during the expo...
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