Effects of the cholinotoxin,AF 64A,on neuronal trace-metal distribution in the rat hippocampus and neocortex |
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Authors: | P. Szerdahelyi P. Kása A. Fisher I. Hanin |
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Affiliation: | (1) Central Research Laboratory, Medical University, Somogyi B. u. 4, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary;(2) Israel Institute for Biological Research, 70450 Ness Ziona, Israel;(3) Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 15213 Pittsburgh, PA, USA |
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Abstract: | Summary Ethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion (AF64A) is a neurotoxin which is specific for cholinergic nerve terminals. Besides its effects on elements of the acetylcholine system, we observed that, after 2 and 8 days, a single 20-nmol intracerebroventricular dose altered the Timm's staining of certain regions of the central nervous system and reduced the tissue levels of trace metals. In the hippocampal formation, there was a considerable decrease in the staining of the neuropil of the stratum radiatum and stratum oriens, which contain cholinergic nerve terminals. A reduction in staining was also demonstrated in the perikarya of cortical pyramidal cells. The diminished trace-metal level in both regions was confirmed by quantitative measurements of zinc and copper levels. A similar reduction was not observed at a lower dose (8 nmol) of the cholinotoxin. The results led to the conclusion that AF64A may cause the decrease of the trace-metal content of the postsynaptic neurons through an indirect mechanism. |
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