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Effect of Lead and Niacin on Growth and Serotonin Metabolism in Chicks¹

Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7608

Interactions of lead and niacin were studied in growing broiler chicks fed one of four experimental diets from day-old to 3 wk of age. The diets were a low niacin basal diet (LN), the basal diet supplemented with 40 mg of niacin/kg (control), the basal diet supplemented with 2000 mg lead/kg, as lead acetate (LN + Pb) and the basal diet supplemented with both niacin and lead (control + Pb). Growth and feed efficiency were reduced significantly by lead. The lead-associated growth depression was less severe in chicks fed the low niacin diet as indicated by a significant lead x niacin interaction. The relative weights of two brain regions (telencephalon and diencephalon) and the adrenal glands were greater in lead-treated chicks than in their nonlead-treated counterparts. Plasma and telencephalon tryptophan were lower in lead-treated chicks than in nonlead-treated chicks. Diencephalon tryptophan was lower in chicks fed the LN diet than in chicks fed the control diet. Brain serotonin was lower and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid was higher in both brain regions of lead-treated chicks than in nonlead-treated chicks. The data indicate that tryptophan and serotonin metabolism were altered by lead treatment, whereas niacin was without effect. The interaction of lead and niacin on growth does not appear to be related to alterations of serotonin metabolism in the central nervous system.

KEY WORDS: • lead toxicity • niacin • tryptophan • serotonin • nutritional toxicology • organ lead concentration

¹ Paper No. 10914 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service (NCARS), Raleigh, NC 27695-7601. The use of trade names in this publication implies neither endorsement by the NCARS of the products named nor criticism of similar products not named.

² To whom reprint requests should be addressed.

Manuscript received 17 February 1987. Revision accepted 3 September 1987.