Thermoregulatory effects of methanol in Fischer and Long Evans rats

Effects of alcohol on thermoregulation during mild heat exposure in humans

We investigated the effects of alcohol on thermoregulatory responses and thermal sensations during mild heat exposure in humans. Eight healthy men participated in this study. Experiments were conducted twice for each subject at a room temperature of 33 degrees C. After a 30-min resting period, the subject drank either 15% alcohol (alcohol session) at a dose of 0.36 g/kg body weight or equal volume of water (control session). Skin blood flow and chest sweat rate in the alcohol session significantly increased over those in controls 10 min after drinking. Deep body temperature in the alcohol session started to decrease 20 min after the onset of sweating and eventually fell 0.3 degrees C lower than in the controls. Whole body hot sensation transiently increased after alcohol drinking, whereas it changed little after water drinking. The increased "hot" sensation would presumably cause cool-seeking behavior, if permitted. Thus, alcohol influences thermoregulation so that body core temperature is lowered not only by automatic mechanisms (sweating and skin vasodilation) but also behaviorally. These results suggest that decreases in body temperature after alcohol drinking are not secondary to skin vasodilation, a well-known effect of alcohol, but rather result from a decrease in the regulated body temperature evidenced by the coordinated modulation of various effectors of thermoregulation and sensation.

Strain as a determinant factor in the differential responsiveness of rats to chemicals

The beneficial effects derived from the use of chemicals in agriculture, energy production, transportation, pharmaceuticals, and other products that improve the quality of life are clearly established. However, continued exposure to these chemicals is only advantageous in conditions where the benefit far outweighs toxic manifestations. By law, determination of risk of toxicity necessitates the use of laboratory animals to establish whether chemical exposure is safe for humans. To simulate the human condition, it is incumbent upon investigators to choose a species in which pharmacokinetic and toxicokinetic principles are established and resemble those of humans. Some of the advantages to the use of rat in chemical toxicity testing include (a) similarities in metabolism, anatomy, and physiological parameters to humans; (b) the short life span, especially for carcinogenesis study; (c) the availability, ease of breeding, and maintenance at a relatively low cost; and (d) the existence of a large database to enable comparison of present to reported literature findings. However, the choice of rat can be complicated by several factors such as sex, age, and nutrition, but especially strain, where currently there are over 200 different strains of rat known to exist. The aim of this review is to demonstrate that there are differences in the responsiveness of rat strains to chemicals and that the susceptibility observed is dependent on the tissue examined. It is evident that the genotype differs among strains, and this may be responsible for differences in sensitivities to chemicals. Awareness of strain as a factor in susceptibility to toxicant action needs to be taken into account in interpretation of relevance of risk of toxicity for humans.

Neurotoxic effects of gasoline and gasoline constituents

This overview was developed as part of a symposium on noncancer end points of gasoline and key gasoline components. The specific components included are methyl tertiary butyl ether, ethyl tertiary butyl ether, tertiary amyl methyl ether, butadiene, benzene, xylene, toluene, methyl alcohol, and ethyl alcohol. The overview focuses on neurotoxic effects related to chronic low-level exposures. A few general conclusions and recommendations can be made based on the results of the studies to date. a) All the compounds reviewed are neuroactive and, as such, should be examined for their neurotoxicity. b) For most of the compounds, there is a substantial margin of safety between the current permissible exposure levels and levels that would be expected to cause overt signs of neurotoxicity in humans. This is not the case for xylene, toluene, and methanol, however, where neurologic effects are observed at or below the current Threshold Limit Value. c) For most of the compounds, the relationship between chronic low-level exposure and subtle neurotoxic effects has not been studied. Studies therefore should focus on examining the dose-response relationship between chronic low-level exposure and subtle changes in central nervous system function.

Strain comparisons of DFP neurotoxicity in rats

The purpose of this study was to assess intraspecies differences in behavioral and autonomic function in three strains of rat following administration of diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), an irreversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase activity. Male rats of the Long-Evans (LE), Fischer 344 (F344), and Sprague-Dawley (SD) strains wer administered DFP at doses of 0-1.5 mg/kg (sc). The animals were placed 60 min later into one of two motor activity chambers and tested for 30 min. Motor activity was measured using either a Doppler-based system or a commercial photocell device. Following measurement of motor activity in the Doppler system, body temperature (Tb) was measured and blood was then withdrawn by cardiac puncture and analyzed for serum cholinesterase activity (ChE). The remaining rats were retested 1 d after DFP administration in the photocell device. The results showed a significant influence of strain on the effects of DFP. Motor activity of LE rats was reduced by DFP at doses of 1.0 and 1.5 mg/kg, whereas the activity of F344 rats was reduced only at 1.5 mg/kg. The relative sensitivity of SD rats depended on the device used to measure motor activity. The SD rats resembled F344 rats in their response to DFP when motor activity was measured in the photocell device, and LE rats when motor activity was measured in the Doppler system. The Tb of F344 rats was unaffected by DFP, while the LE and SD rats became hypothermic at 1.5 mg/kg. The DFP-induced inhibition of serum ChE activity was significantly less in F344 rats. All three strains retested the day after DFP still showed significant decreases in motor activity. Overall, it appears that the F344 strain is relatively resistant to the behavioral and autonomic effects of DFP. This intraspecies variability should be considered in selecting appropriate experimental models for assessing the neurotoxicological hazards of cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides.

Comparative lethality of methanol, ethanol and mixtures in female rats

The lethalities of pure methanol and pure ethanol were compared to two mixtures of ethanol/methanol with the following percentages (95/5% and 65/35% v/v). This study was conducted to simulate situations of human exposure to denaturated alcohol (by 5% methanol) or adulterated alcohol (by 35% methanol). Four groups of female adult virgin albino rats were treated with the four mixtures. A fifth group was used as a vehicle control. Graded oral doses were given to eight animals per dose. Lethality over 24 h was used as an end-point. The LD50 was calculated for each of the four treatments on a molar basis. A dose-response function for each mixture was plotted of percentage lethality vs. mmol kg-1 equivalent to the given ml kg-1 dose. Results showed a significantly different LD50 estimates (P less than 0.03) for the four mixtures. The order of lethal toxicity was as follows: 95/5% methanol/ethanol, pure methanol, pure ethanol then 65/35% methanol/ethanol. Slope comparisons indicated two pairs: 65/35% ethanol/methanol and pure ethanol yielding a steep slope, and 95/5% ethanol/methanol and pure methanol yielding a shallow slope. These data indicated that the acute lethality of ethanol/methanol mixtures is a complex unpredictable function. This toxicity presumably depends in a complicated way on the differences in the effective molecular weights of the two alcohols in each of the mixtures.

Effects of ethanol injection to the preoptic area on sleep and temperature in rats

Bilateral microinjection of ethanol to the preoptic area of rats causes a dose-dependent hypnotic effect at doses that do not affect brain temperature. Rats were polygraphically recorded for 6 h, and brain temperature was recorded every 10 min for 3 h. Administration of 0.047 mumol ethanol increased total sleep during the 3-6 h interval, while 0.24 and 0.47 mumol ethanol increased deep slow-wave sleep (SWS2) and total sleep during the 3-6- and 0-6-h intervals. The 0.24-mumol ethanol microinjections also increased REM sleep for the 0-6-h interval. No changes in sleep latencies were observed.

Role of adenosine in sleep and temperature regulation in the preoptic area of rats

We have examined the effects on sleep and brain temperature of bilateral microinjections of adenosine and adenosine analogs to the preoptic area (PO) of rats. Administration of adenosine (12.5 nmoles), a nonselective adenosine A1/A2 receptor agonist NECA (N-ethyl-carboxamido-adenosine, 1.0 nmole), and the selective adenosine A1 receptor agonist CPA (cyclopentyladenosine, 0.25, 0.5 nmoles) increased total sleep primarily through an enhancement in deep slow-wave sleep (SWS2), while adenosine also increased REM sleep. Administration of 12.5 nmoles adenosine and 0.25 nmoles CPA did not affect brain temperature, while 1.0 nmole NECA and 0.5 nmoles CPA caused a transient and prolonged hypothermia, respectively. Administration of the selective adenosine A2 receptor agonist CV-1808 (2-phenylaminoadenosine, 5, 10 nmoles) had no effect on sleep or brain temperature. The present results demonstrate a site for the central hypnotic action of adenosine, and a functional role for adenosine A1 receptors in the hypothalamus.

Hypothermic effects of a homologous series of short-chain alcohols in rats

The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of the thermoregulatory system as an end point in predicting the toxicity of various short-chain alcohols. Male Fischer rats developed significant hypothermia following acute administration (ip) of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, or 2-butanol. The hypothermic responses to the six alcohols all showed similar segmented responses characterized by a threshold dose below which no change in body temperature occurred, and a suprathreshold regression with increasing dose causing greater hypothermia. Relative potency of the alcohols was assessed using both the threshold dose to cause hypothermia and the dose that would cause body temperature to decrease by 1 degree C. Both measures gave the progression of toxicity from least to most potent of methanol less than ethanol less than 2-propanol less than 1-propanol less than 2-butanol less than 1-butanol. The effective dose of each alcohol was compared to its membrane/buffer partition coefficient (Pm/b), and there was a high inverse correlation between the hypothermic dose of an alcohol and its lipid solubility. That the potency of an alcohol was strongly correlated with its Pm/b suggests that the membrane disordering theory of narcosis may also be used to explain the hypothermic action of alcohols.

Comparison of rats of the Fischer 344 and Long-Evans strains in their autonomic thermoregulatory response to trimethyltin administration

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of genetic strain on the acute and long-term thermoregulatory response to the neurotoxicant trimethyltin (TMT) in rats of the Long-Evans (LE) and Fischer 344 (FCH) strains. In one study basic thermoregulatory responses including colonic temperature (Tc), metabolic rate (MR), evaporative water loss (EWL), motor activity (MA), and thermal conductance (Cd) were measured in both rat strains at ambient temperatures (Ta) of 10, 28, and 37 degrees C. It was found that the LE rat has a significantly higher Tc when it is measured in their home cage. Because of its smaller body mass the FCH rat has a higher MR at all Ta values. The FCH rat also has a greater rate of EWL during exposure to a Ta of 37 degrees C. Following iv administration of 8.0 mg/kg TMT both rat strains become significantly hypothermic; however, the effect differed significantly between the strains. At 26-34 d after TMT exposure thermoregulatory responses at Ta values of 10-37 degrees C were generally similar to that of the saline controls. Overall, the LE and FCH strains of rat exhibit some distinct thermoregulatory differences in response to changes in Ta.

Effects of methanol on autonomic thermoregulation of rats at different ambient temperatures

To measure the effect of methanol on autonomic thermoregulation, male Fischer rats were injected intraperitoneally with saline or 1 or 3 g/kg methanol (20% w/v in saline). The rats were then placed in a chamber, set at an ambient temperature (Ta) of 5, 15, 25, or 35 degrees C, for 60 min while total activity, metabolic rate (MR), evaporative water loss (EWL), and dry thermal conductance were measured. After 60 min, the rat was removed from the chamber and colonic temperature (Tc) was measured. The rats developed a significant hypothermia following the 3 g/kg dosage of methanol at Ta's from 5 to 25 degrees C, while the change in Tc at 35 degrees C was not significant. Total activity decreased following 3 g/kg methanol at Ta's from 15 to 35 degrees C. At a Ta of 25 degrees C, MR was at basal levels and methanol had no effect, but at the other Ta's, where MR was elevated, methanol caused a significant reduction in MR. EWL and thermal conductance were elevated at 35 degrees C in control rats, and methanol reduced EWL at this Ta while it had no effect on conductance at this or any other Ta. These data suggest that the methanol-induced hypothermia and its depressive effect on activity and MR were related. The effect of methanol on the heat loss effectors (EWL, conductance) was not significant or was in the direction of heat conservation. Thus, methanol exposure leads to a significant hypothermia in rats by an inhibitory action on heat production pathways.

Thermal biology of the laboratory rat

The purpose of this paper is to thoroughly review the literature and present a data base of the basic thermoregulatory parameters of the laboratory rat. This review surveys the pertinent papers dealing with various aspects of the thermal biology of the laboratory rat, including: metabolism, thermoneutrality, core and brain temperature, thermal tolerance, thermal conductance and insulation, thermoregulatory effectors (i.e., thermogenesis, peripheral vasomotor tone, evaporation, and behavior), thermal acclimation, growth and reproduction, ontogeny, aging, motor activity and exercise, circadian rhythm and sleep, gender differences, and other parameters. It is shown that many facets of the thermoregulatory system of the laboratory rat are typical to that of most homeothermic species. However, is several instances the rat exhibits unique thermoregulatory responses which are not comparable to other species.