Neuron-Specific Phosphoproteins as Biochemical Indicators of Neurotoxicity: Effects of Acute Administration of Trimethyltin to the Adult Rat

摘要

The cytoarchitecture of the adult central nervous system is expressed by proteins specific to individual cell types. In this investigation, a subclass of these proteins, the neuron-specific phosphoproteins, was examined after the administration of trimethyltin (TMT), a neurotoxicant which preferentially damages neurons in limbic structures. After acute administration of TMT, effects on neuronal phosphoproteins were examined by three separate techniques: (1) endogenous phosphorylation of total synaptic membrane proteins; (2) radiometric assay of synapsin I, a neuron-specific phosphoprotein associated with synaptic vesicles; and (3) radioimmunoassay of synapsin I and protein III, another synapsin specific, synaptic vesicle-localized phosphoprotein. The authors findings are consistent with the neuropathological effects of this compound and suggest that neuron-specific phosphoproteins may be useful biochemical indicators of neurotoxicity.