Evaluation of lipofuscin-like pigments as an index of lead-induced oxidative damage in the brain

Abstract This study was carried out to investigate the role of lead in the development of oxidative stress in the brain. We examined the rate of lipid peroxidation and we determined lipid fluorescence products (lipofuscin-like pigments – LFP) as a marker of lipid peroxidation after short in vitro incubation of rat brain homogenates with lead acetate (10 −2 , 10 −4 , 10 −6  M lead acetate, 2 h). Simultaneously we examined by the same method in vivo indices of oxidative stress in brains of mice exposed for 12 weeks to 0.2% lead acetate in drinking water. The results show that the concentration of LFP in rat brain homogenates increased significantly after 2 h incubation with 10 −2  M lead acetate as compared to controls ( P −4 and 10 −6  M). After the long-term exposure of mice to 0.2% lead acetate, pronounced accumulation of lead and significantly increased concentration of LFP ( P in vitro exposure of rat brain as well as within long-term in vivo exposure in mice using lipofuscin-like pigments as an indicator of oxidative stress.