Mechanisms of recovery of brain acetylcholinesterase in rats during chronic intoxication by isoflurophate

Chronic, low-level exposure to the cholinesterase inhibitor DFP. I. Time course of neurochemical changes in the rat pontomesencephalic tegmentum

Rats were repeatedly administered with a low dose of diisopropylfluorosphosphate (DFP; 0.2 mg/kg/day, SC, for 9 or 21 days), an irreversible cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitor. Control rats received a daily injection of oil vehicle. Neurochemical changes occurring in the pontomesencephalic tegmentum (PMT), a brain stem region critically involved in behavioral state control, were evaluated at various times of treatment and after DFP withdrawal. First, enzyme assay revealed a profile of ChE inhibition in the whole PMT which looked like that observed in the striatum; both the inhibition and recovery proceeded more slowly than they did in the plasma. Second, quantitative histochemistry indicated that ChE activity in the mesopontine cholinergic nuclei and the pontine reticular formation progressively decreased across the first days of DFP exposure, to reach an asymptotic level of inhibition after 6 days (74-82% inhibition). The inhibition was less pronounced in the locus coeruleus (49%). Third, [3H]QNB autoradiography showed that muscarinic receptor density was unchanged in any of the PMT areas selected. These results are discussed regarding the question of regional variation in susceptibility to anti-ChE agents. To what extent behavioral state alterations occur concomitantly with ChE activity changes is assessed in the companion article.

Comparative neurochemical and neurobehavioral effects of repeated chlorpyrifos exposures in young and adult rats

Neonatal (7 days old) rats are markedly more sensitive than adults (3 months old) to the acute toxic effects of the insecticide, chlorpyrifos (CPF). In the present study, we have compared the effects of subacute CPF exposures in these same age groups. Repeated doses of CPF (40 mg/kg, SC, every 4 days, total of 4 doses) caused extensive inhibition of cortical, hippocampal, and striatal cholinesterase (ChE) activity in adult rats at 4 (90-92%) and 14 (71-78%) days after the last treatment. Rats treated similarly during postnatal maturation (beginning on day 7) showed a much lower degree of ChE inhibition (21-60%) at these time points. Muscarinic ([3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate, QNB) receptor binding in cortex, hippocampus, and striatum was reduced in adult brain at 4 (30-43%) and 14 (22-32%) days after the final treatment, whereas receptor densities were only marginally affected (5-11% reduction) in young rats. Basal motor activity levels were not affected in either young or adult rats as a function of CPF exposure. CPF-treated adult rats exhibited higher activity levels after challenge with scopolamine (1 mg/kg, IP) at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after treatment, whereas CPF exposure did not affect the motoric response to scopolamine in rats treated during postnatal maturation. These data suggest that although neonatal rats are more sensitive to acute lethal effects from high doses of CPF, adult rats exhibit more persistent neurochemical and neurobehavioral alterations following repeated, lower-level exposures.

Comparison of in vivo cholinesterase inhibition in neonatal and adult rats by three organophosphorothioate insecticides

Developing mammals are more sensitive than adults to a variety of organophosphorothioate insecticides (OPs), compounds which act in vivo by inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE). Little is known, however, regarding age-related differences in biochemical responses to these toxicants. The time course of ChE inhibition and recovery in whole brain was compared in neonatal (7 days of age) and adult (80-100 days of age) rats after treatment with maximal tolerated doses (MTDs) of either methyl parathion (MPS), parathion (PS) or chlorpyrifos (CPF). Neonatal rats were more sensitive than adults in all cases (MTDs for MPS, PS and CPF; neonates = 7.8, 2.1 and 45 mg/kg, s.c.; adults = 18, 18, and 279 mg/kg, s.c., respectively). In general, maximal brain ChE inhibition was similar (greater than 78%) in both age groups but ChE activity recovered faster in neonates. Plasma and erythrocyte ChE activities correlated relatively well (r = 0.794-0.943) with brain ChE activity in neonatal rats at all time points between 4 h and 7 days after treatment but similar correlations between circulating and brain ChE activities in adults were more variable (r = 0.211-0.917). The results indicate that neonatal rats are more sensitive to acute lethality from these compounds and that MTD exposures produce extensive brain ChE inhibition in both age groups. Significant inhibitor-related and age-related differences in the duration of ChE inhibition can ensue, however, following such OP exposures.

Adaptive processes of the central and autonomic cholinergic neurotransmitter system: age-related differences

Potential age-related differences in the response of the ileum strip longitudinal and circular muscle to repeated treatment with diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) were evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats. The response was measured in terms of both biochemical parameters (acetylcholinesterase-AChE inhibition, muscarinic acetylcholine receptor binding sites-mAChRs, choline acetyltransferase-ChAT) and functional responsiveness (contractility of the isolated ileum stimulated by cholinergic agonists). The biochemical data were compared with those obtained for the cerebral cortex. Male 3- and 24-month old rats were s.c. injected with DFP on alternate days for 2 weeks (doses in mg/kg: first 1.1, two of 0.7 and four of 0.35). They were killed 48 hr and 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after the last treatment. In the ileum strip of control rats there was a significant age-related decline of AChE, maximal density of 3H-QNB binding sites (Bmax) and ChAT. During the first week of DFP treatment the cholinergic syndrome was more pronounced in aged than in young rats, resulting in 35% and 10% mortality, respectively; subsequently the syndrome attenuated. At the end of DFP treatment ileal AChE were inhibited by about 30%; the down-regulation of mAChRs was about 50% in young and 35% in aged rats. No significant differences in the recovery rate of AChE were noted between young and aged rats (normalization within 7 days). On the contrary, mAChRs normalized within 5 weeks in young and 3 weeks in aged rats. This was probably due to more adaptive decline in the former group. There was a post-treatment increase of ChAT, transitory in young and persistent in aged rats. In spite of age-related marked loss of ileal mAChRs there were only little, although significant, changes in the contractile responsiveness of the isolated ileum to cholinergic agonists. Considerable DFP-induced down-regulation of mAChRs was not accompanied by changes in contractility stimulated by the agonists. The overall data indicate that age- and treatment-induced changes of AChE, mAChRs and ChAT in the ileum strip differ considerably from those observed in the cerebral cortex of the same rats.

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic model for the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by diisopropylfluorophosphate

Organophosphate (OP) exposure can be lethal at high doses while lower doses may impair performance of critical tasks. The ability to predict such effects for realistic exposure scenarios would expedite OP risk assessment. To this end, a physiologically based model for diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) pharmacokinetics and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition was developed in mammals. DFP tissue:blood partition coefficients, rates of DFP hydrolysis by esterases, and DFP-esterase bimolecular inhibition rate constants were determined in rat tissue homogenates. Other model parameters were scaled for rats and mice using standard allometric relationships. These DFP-specific parameter values were used with the model to simulate expected in vivo pharmacokinetic data from mice and rats. Literature data were used for model validation. DFP concentrations in mouse plasma and brain were successfully simulated after a single iv injection (B.R. Martin, 1985, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 77, 275-284). AChE inhibition and AChE resynthesis data from this study were also simulated. Effects of repeated, subcutaneous DFP dosing on AChE activity in rat plasma and brain (H. Michalek, A. Meneguz, and G.M. Bisso, 1982, Arch. Toxicol., Suppl. 5, 116-119; M.E. Traina and L.A. Serpietri, 1984, Biochem. Pharmacol. 33, 645-653) were also simulated well, but the return of brain AChE activity to basal levels after cessation of repeated dosing was not as well described. The initial model structure returned brain AChE activity to the original level, while in the laboratory studies brain AChE never returned to basal levels, even at 35 days after the last dose. These data suggest modulation of AChE synthesis with prolonged DFP exposure. This study demonstrated the possibility of using a model based on mammalian physiology and biochemistry to simulate in vivo data on DFP pharmacokinetics and AChE inhibition. Scaling of the model between rats and mice was also successful. The approach holds promise for predictive simulation of organophosphate-mediated AChE inhibition in humans.

Impaired recovery of brain muscarinic receptor sites following an adaptive down-regulation induced by repeated administration of diisopropyl fluorophosphate in aged rats

Potential age-related differences in the recovery rate of brain cholinesterase activity (ChE) and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor binding sites (mAChRs) following reduction induced by repeated treatment with diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) were evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats. Male 3- and 24-month old rats were s.c. injected with DFP (doses in mg/kg: first 1.1, two of 0.7 and four of 0.35) on alternate days for 2 weeks and killed 48 hr and 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after the last treatment. In the hippocampus and striatum, but not in the cerebral cortex, of control rats there was a significant age-related decline of ChE activity and maximal density of 3H-QNB binding sites (Bmax). The repeated administration of DFP during the first week caused a syndrome of cholinergic stimulation both in aged and young rats. The syndrome was more pronounced, in terms of intensity and duration (for many hours after each injection), in aged than in young animals resulting in 40 and 12% mortality, respectively; during the second week the syndrome attenuated in the two age-groups. The percentage inhibition of brain ChE at the end of DFP treatment (about 70%) did not differ between young and surviving aged rats. The down-regulation of mAChRs (without changes in affinity) was present in the three brain regions of both young and aged rats (from 20 to 40%). Factorial analysis of variance (2 ages x 2 recoveries ANOVA) showed significant differences for age, recovery rate, and significant interaction between age and recovery rate, both for ChE and mAChRs in the three brain areas. For example, cortical ChE in young rats reached pretreatment levels within 3 weeks, while hippocampal and striatal ChE activity recovered within 4 weeks; at these intervals ChE activity in aged rats was still considerably reduced (except in the striatum). Cortical and striatal mAChRs in young rats almost normalized within 1 week and hippocampal mAChR binding sites normalized within 2 weeks; at these intervals Bmax in aged rats were markedly below control levels. The overall data indicate that the recovery rate to normal baseline levels of ChE activity and mAChRs, following the termination of repeated treatment with the antiChE agent, is impaired in brain of aged rats. The delay in recovery rate is particularly evident in the cerebral cortex.

On the development of behavioral tolerance to organophosphates. I: Behavioral and biochemical aspects

The development of tolerance to organophosphates (OPs) was investigated by SC injections of saline and sublethal doses of DFP or soman three times per week or every other day for at least 4 weeks. Shuttlebox performance was tested 1 hr and 24 hr after the injections. Notwithstanding a progressive inhibition of AChE to very low values in various organs, shuttlebox performance was virtually normal 24 hr after the OP injections. However, whereas the performance decrements measured 1 h after the injection of DFP practically disappeared in the course of weeks, the decrements 1 hr after soman remained approximately the same. These differences between the effects of DFP and soman cannot be explained: 1) by differences in inhibition or de novo synthesis of AChE in various regions of the CNS, the striated muscle or blood, 2) by differences in the reductions of the muscarinic receptors in various regions of the CNS, 3) by differences in the number of nicotinic receptors in the diaphragm muscle, or 4) by differences in phosphorylphosphatase (DFP-ase or somanase) activity in blood plasma or liver.

Muscarinic receptor plasticity in the brain of senescent rats: down-regulation after repeated administration of diisopropyl fluorophosphate

Potential age-related differences in the response of Fischer 344 rats to subchronic treatment with diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) were evaluated in terms of brain cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition and muscarinic receptor sites. Male 3- and 24-month old rats were sc injected with sublethal doses of DFP (first dose 1.6, subsequent doses 1.1 mg/kg on alternate days) for 2 weeks and killed 48 hrs after the last treatment. In the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and striatum of control rats a significant age-related reduction of ChE and of maximum number of 3H-QNB binding sites (Bmax) was observed. The administration of DFP to senescent rats resulted in more pronounced and longer lasting syndrome of cholinergic stimulation, with marked body weight loss and 60% mortality. The percentage inhibition of brain ChE induced by DFP (over 80% in all regions) did not differ between young and senescent rats. As expected, in young rats DFP caused a significant decrease of Bmax (without apparent changes in affinity), which in the cerebral cortex reached about 40%. In the surviving senescent rats, the percentage decrease of Bmax due to DFP with respect to age-matched controls was very similar to that of young animals, especially in the cerebral cortex. Thus, there is great variability in the response of aged rats to DFP treatment, from total failure of adaptive mechanisms resulting in death to considerable muscarinic receptor plasticity. The data support the view that the ability of central neurotransmitter systems to compensate for pathological or xenobiotic induced insult is an essential part of the aging process.

Changes in the levels and forms of rat plasma cholinesterases during chronic diisopropylphosphorofluoridate intoxication

The effect of chronic administration of diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP) on the levels and forms of plasma cholinesterase (ChE), were studied in male Wistar albino rats sacrificed at different time intervals after various schedules of treatment. In particular the inhibition and recovery rate of the enzymatic activity was evaluated for butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), determined using butyrylthiocholine (BuThCh) as substrate and for acetylcholinesterase (AChE), measured using acetylthiocholine (AcThCh) in the presence of iso-OMPA 0.1 mM. At 1 1/2 and 24 hr after the DFP treatments, BuChE was considerably more depressed than was the case for AChE. Moreover, the recovery of BuChE proceeded more slowly, its activity being restored only seven days after the last treatment, while the recovery of AChE was completed 72 hr after the end of the treatments. Plasma molecular forms were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and were revealed by enzymatic reaction with BuThCh or AcThCh as substrates. By using selective inhibitors, five main molecular forms of BuChE and two of AChE were found to exist in control plasma samples. A differential inhibition and recovery rate was observed among these forms after DFP intoxication. At 1 1/2 hr after the treatments, the BuChE activity was too low to be detected on the gels, but 24 hr thereafter, the quantitative determination of the different forms, performed by scanning densitometry, showed a significant increase of the two faster migrating ones. At the following time intervals, the electrophoretic pattern returned progressively towards normality. The faster migrating forms are therefore probably the first synthesized in the process of recovery of BuChE activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)