Ultrastructural and DNA damaging effects of lead nitrate in the liver

A ubiquitous environmental toxicant - lead is known to affect several organ systems. This study was designed to investigate the effects of lead nitrate exposure on liver structure and DNA fragmentation. Adult male Wistar rats were treated orally with lead nitrate at the dose levels of 0%, 0.5% and 1% for 60 days and sacrificed on the next day. The liver was processed for thick sections and evaluated after toludine blue staining and by electron microscopy after staining with uranyl acetate and lead citrate. The DNA damage was assessed by DNA fragmentation assay. The liver weight was not significantly affected in the experimental groups. Hepatocyte nuclei were not shrunk, instead lead was mitogenic to hepatocytes as indicated by an increase in the number of binucleated hepatocytes (P<0.05). The number of mitochondria per hepatocyte decreased in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). Qualitatively, the necrotic changes such as small to large-sized cytoplasmic vacuoles often displacing the organelles, decrease in hepatocyte microvilli, degeneration of mitochondria, and vacuolar encroachment of nuclei and dilatation of sinusoids were observed. The qualitative changes were induced in a dose-dependent manner. Kupffer cells or Ito cells did not present any notable structural changes. Although the electrophoretic flow of DNA fragments was observed in lead-treated groups, these changes were not significantly different from that in control as evaluated by optical density. In conclusion, lead induces necrotic changes with simultaneous mitogenic activity; however, it does not induce significant DNA damage in the liver.