Effect of organophosphate-induced acute neuronal damage in rats

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the neuronal injury induced by organophosphorus(OP) compound exposurein rats andinvestigate andthepossible mechanisms. Methods Eighteen SD rats were randomly divided into OP groups(n=12)and the control group(n=6).SD rats were given intramuscular sarin inection followed 1 min later by intraperitoneal injection of atropine sulphate and pralidoxime,and the rats with typical toxic reactions were used for subsequent experiment.The rats in the control group received normal saline injections in identical manners.Twenty-four hours later,the brain tissue of the rats were taken for HE staining and neuronal nuclei antigen(NeuN)immunohistochemistry to quantitatively assess the neuronal damages in the pyriform cortex,hippocampus CAl and striatum.Results HE staining showed massive degeneration of the neurons in the pyriform cortex,hippocampus CAland striatum of rats with satin injection.Compared to the rats with saline injections,the rats exposed to satin presented with significantly decreased number of NeuN-positive neurons(P<0.05).Conclusion OP Can induce acute neuronal death in rat brain and cause a series of symptoms in the central nervous system,probably by such noncholinergic mechanisms as glutamic acid-induced eytotoxieity and oxidative stress. Key words: Organophosphorus compounds; Brain injuries; Neuronal nuclear antigen