Influence of dietary protein composition on lead absorption in rats

As part of a general programmatic effort involving the development and definition of animal models of lead neurotoxicity, the authors observed that rats orally exposed to high doses of lead exhibited more severe toxic response when a purified diet containing casein was employed versus effects in animals maintained on regular rat chow. This observation has been explored further by assessing the relative tissue uptake of lead in young adult rats maintained on two different synthetic diets differing only in the type of protein source: casein or soy bean meal. Effects of lead as a function of these diets on the rat hematopoietic system were also determined. Data obtained using the two diets are described in this report.