Elevated urinary excretion of beta-aminoisobutyric acid and delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and the inhibition of ALA-synthase and ALA-dehydratase activities in both liver and kidney in mice exposed to lead.

Urinary excretion of beta-aminoisobutyric acid (ABA) and delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was investigated in mice exposed to lead (500 p.p.m.) in drinking water for 14 days. Concentrations of both urinary ABA and urinary ALA increased significantly in the lead-exposed mice. However, the degree of increasing excretion was higher in urinary ALA (10-fold of the control) than in urinary ABA (2-fold of the control). On the other hand, it was demonstrated that ALA dehydratase in liver and kidney is inhibited by exposure to lead, while ALA synthase in these tissues has no inhibitory effect.