Abstract

We are characterizing toxicant-induced injury to the nervous system by measuring nervous system, cell-type specific proteins together with accompanying changes in morphology and behavior. In the present study, cerebellar neurotoxicity was assessed in the Gunn rat, an autosomal recessive mutant that exhibits degeneration of Purkinje cells due to hereditary hyperbilirubinemia. Five proteins associated with neuronal or glial cell types were chosen for evaluation as follows: G-substrate, a Purkinje cell-specific phosphoprotein that serves as the endogenous substrate of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase; PCPP-260, a Purkinje cell-specific phosphoprotein that serves as an endogenous substrate of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase; synapsin I, a synapse-specific phosphoprotein present in all neurons; glial fibrillary acidic protein, an astrocyte-specific protein; and myelin basic protein, a protein unique to myelin. In comparison to heterozygote (Jj) controls, homozygous (jj) rats showed alterations in the amounts of neurotypic and gliotypic proteins in cerebellum that were consistent with the neuropathological effects associated with development of hyperbilirubinemia in the Gunn rat. Decreased cerebellar cyclic GMP, but not cyclic AMP, alterations in indices of motoric competence and increased responsiveness to a nociceptive stimulus also were observed in jj rats. In general, the degree of cerebellar hypoplasia was predictive of the degree of biochemical, morphological or behavioral change observed. The results indicate that neurotypic and gliotyic proteins may be used as biochemical indicators of neurotoxicity.