Cholinesterase inhibition and acetylcholine accumulation following intracerebral administration of paraoxon in rats

Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2009 May 1;236(3):341-7. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2009.02.022. Epub 2009 Mar 6.

Abstract

We evaluated the inhibition of striatal cholinesterase activity following intracerebral administration of paraoxon assaying activity either in tissue homogenates ex vivo or by substrate hydrolysis in situ. Artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) or paraoxon in aCSF was infused unilaterally (0.5 microl/min for 2 h) and ipsilateral and contralateral striata were harvested for ChE assay ex vivo. High paraoxon concentrations were needed to inhibit ipsilateral striatal cholinesterase activity (no inhibition at <0.1 mM; 27% at 0.1 mM; 79% at 1 mM paraoxon). With 3 mM paraoxon infusion, substantial ChE inhibition was also noted in contralateral striatum. ChE histochemistry generally confirmed these concentration- and side-dependent effects. Microdialysates collected for up to 4 h after paraoxon infusion inhibited ChE activity when added to striatal homogenate, suggesting prolonged efflux of paraoxon. Since paraoxon efflux could complicate acetylcholine analysis, we evaluated the effects of paraoxon (0, 0.03, 0.1, 1, 10 or 100 microM, 1.5 microl/min for 45 min) administered by reverse dialysis through a microdialysis probe. ChE activity was then monitored in situ by perfusing the colorimetric substrate acetylthiocholine through the same probe and measuring product (thiocholine) in dialysates. Concentration-dependent inhibition was noted but reached a plateau of about 70% at 1 microM and higher concentrations. Striatal acetylcholine was below the detection limit at all times with 0.1 microM paraoxon but was transiently elevated (0.5-1.5 h) with 10 microM paraoxon. In vivo paraoxon (0.4 mg/kg, sc) in adult rats elicited about 90% striatal ChE inhibition measured ex vivo, but only about 10% inhibition measured in situ. Histochemical analyses revealed intense AChE and glial fibrillary acidic protein staining near the cannula track, suggesting proliferation of inflammatory cells/glia. The findings suggest that ex vivo and in situ cholinesterase assays can provide very different views into enzyme-inhibitor interactions. Furthermore, the proliferation/migration of cells containing high amounts of cholinesterase just adjacent to a dialysis probe could affect the recovery and thus detection of extracellular acetylcholine in microdialysis studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholine / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / toxicity*
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects
  • Corpus Striatum / enzymology
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Injections, Spinal
  • Male
  • Microdialysis
  • Paraoxon / administration & dosage
  • Paraoxon / toxicity*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Acetylcholine
  • Paraoxon