Impact of a Chronic Ingestion of Uranium at Low Level on Plasma Profile in Rats

Titre du congrès :EUROTOX 2008 - 45th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology
Ville du congrès :Rhodes
Date du congrès :05/10/2008

Titre de la revue : Toxicology Letters Volume 180 Issue S1 Page S183

The civil and military use of uranium in our society results in an increase of the risk of human exposure to this radionuclide. This study aims at evaluating if a low-level contamination could disturb clinical and biological parameters. Therefore, we developed a rat model chronically exposed to environmental uranium rate (depleted or enriched uranium) through drinking water (40 mg/L) during 9 months. No effects were observed in body weight gain, water and food consumption during the treatment. Physiological state was estimated by a clinical plasma profile (biochemical parameters and hormonal levels). Exposure to DU led to a decrease of ASAT levels (-41% suggesting a hepatic disorder), and of CK-MB level (-32%). EU led to an increase of albumin (hepatic disorder), total proteins, Ca and Fe rates (+11%, +10%, +6%, and +15% respectively). We also studied different hormones involved in growth and reproduction. DU decreased active plasmatic vitamin D3 rate (-44%), suggesting possible effects on bone or growth. EU increased testosterone level (+260%), which could affect sexual function or animal's behaviour. For the first time, we showed that a low-level chronic contamination led to plasma modifications suggesting that liver and testis are targets for uranium following chronic exposure (in addition to the organs already known). It will be now necessary to use recent techniques such as metabolomic to precise a specific radionuclide chronic contamination fingerprint. Then study on other models like youth or female will be undertaken to check functional and structural changes in these tissues.