Electron Microscopic alterations in the fourth ventricle choroid plexus of rabbits after cyclophosphamide and mitomycin-C treatment

Abstract

Cyclophosphamide and mitomycin-C have withstood the test of time for the treatment of many human neoplasms. While desirable results are achieved with their use, severe untoward toxic effects do occur in many body organs. Choroid plexus damage in the brain, varying from severe odema and necrosis of individual villi to haemorrhagic infarcts, are reported by Levine and Sowinski (1973) and Wenk et al (1979) after cyclophosphamide administration in rats. These authors noticed the choroid plex us of the fourth ventricle most susceptible for the drug injury. Separate groups of adult male and female rabbits were given single intraperitoneal injections of cyclophosphamide (200mg/kg) and mitomycin-C(0.1 mg/kg). After 48hrs, the control and treated animals were anaesthetized by using 30mg/kg sodium pentobarbital. The fourth ventricle choroid plexus was fixed in situ with buffered Karnovsky (1965) fixative (pH 7.3). After post-fixation in 1 per cent osmium tetroxide the tissues were processed for convential transmission electron microscopy.