Neuroscience
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Trimethyltin is a neurotoxicant which produces a distinct pattern of neuronal cell death following peripheral administration of a single dose (8 mg/kg, i.p.) in rats. The cupric-silver degeneration stain was used to produce an atlas documenting the distribution and time course of trimethyltin-induced neuronal damage in adult, male Long-Evans rats. Animals were examined at survival times of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 18 days after intoxication. ⋯ Protein-O-carboxyl methyltransferase immunoreactivity was altered in neuronal populations damaged by trimethyltin, but did not appear to be either as sensitive or selective an assay of neuronal damage as the silver stain, especially at short survival times. Glial fibrillary acidic proteins were dramatically elevated 21 days after trimethyltin intoxication, particularly in areas of extensive damage. These studies revealed advantages and problems encountered in the use of each technique in assessing neurotoxic effects, forming a basis for discussion of the relative merits of using a battery of specific molecular probes for neurotoxicity evaluations.