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A Moretto

Publications and source records attributed to A Moretto.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Age sensitivity to organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy. Biochemical and toxicological studies in developing chicks.

Young animals are resistant to organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy (OPIDP). The putative target protein in the nervous system for initiation of OPIDP in the adult hen is an enzyme called Neuropathy Target Esterase (NTE), which is dissected by selective inhibitors among nervous tissue esterases hydrolysing phenyl valerate (PV). We report here that the pool of PV-esterases sensitive to paraoxon was different in peripheral nerves of chicks as compared to that of hens while that of brain and spinal cord was not. NTE activity decreased with age in brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve, but its sensitivity to several inhibitors remained unchanged. In the adult hen more than 70% inhibition of peripheral nerve NTE by neuropathic OPs is followed by deficit of retrograde axonal transport, axonal degeneration and paralysis. Similar NTE inhibition in 40-day-old or younger chicks however is not followed by changes in retrograde axonal transport nor by OPIDP. Chicks aged 60 to 80 days are only marginally sensitive to a single dose of DFP otherwise clearly neuropathic to hens. In vitro and in vivo phosphorylation by DFP and subsequent aging of brain NTE is similar both in chicks and in hens. The recovery of NTE activity monitored in vivo after inhibition by DFP is faster (half-life of about 3 days) in chick peripheral nerves as compared to chick brain, hen brain and hen peripheral nerve (half-life of about 5 days). It is concluded that the reduced sensitivity to OPIDP in chicks is not due to differences in OP-NTE interactions. The resistance might be explained by a more efficient repair mechanism, as suggested by the faster recovery of peripheral nerve NTE activity.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

Interaction of methamidophos with hen and human acetylcholinesterase and neuropathy target esterase.

Methamidophos causes acute cholinergic toxicity in several species, including man, and organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy which has been reported in man but not in the hen. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and neuropathy target esterase (NTE) are thought to be the molecular targets of acute and delayed toxicity, respectively. The rate constants of inhibition (ka) and reactivation (k + 3) of human and hen brain AChE and NTE by methamidophos resolved optical isomers are here reported. NTE inhibition was progressive and irreversible. Human and hen NTE ka (M-1.m-1) for D-(+) methamidophos was 88 and 59, respectively, and for L-(-) methamidophos 3.2 and 3.0, respectively. AChE spontaneously reactivates after inhibition. D-(+) methamidophos 10(-3).ka (M-1.m-1) for human and hen AChE was 0.24 and 0.13; 10(3).k+3 (m-1) was 0.83 and 0.69, respectively. L-(-) Methamidophos 10(-3).ka (M-1.m-1) for human and hen AChE was 5.7 and 2.8, whereas 10(3).k+3 (m-1) was 6.50 and 1.52, respectively. L-(-)-Inhibited AChE reactivated to about 60% for human and 30% for hen enzymes, respectively. D-(+)-Inhibited AChE reactivated to about 10-20% for both species. Maximal reactivation occurred within 4-6 h when a plateau was reached. The larger and faster reactivation of human AChE inhibited in vitro by L-(-) methamidophos suggests that a corresponding effect might be possible in vivo and therefore explain, in part, the relatively higher susceptibility of man to delayed polyneuropathy induced by racemic methamidophos which occurs, however, with doses always causing severe cholinergic toxicity.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1991

Chlorpyrifos-induced delayed polyneuropathy.

Chlorpyrifos [0,0-diethyl 0-(3,5,6-trichloro-pyridyl) phosphorothioate] caused delayed polyneuropathy in man. Contrary to previous studies, we report here that it also causes delayed polyneuropathy in the hen, the animal model for this toxicity. The minimal neuropathic dose was 60-90 mg/kg p.o., corresponding to 4-6 times the estimated LD50. Consequently, pralidoxime (2-PAM) in conjunction with atropine was necessary to reverse acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition and cholinergic toxicity in hens given high enough doses of chlorpyrifos to cause neuropathy. Chlorpyrifos was slowly absorbed after single oral doses and the threshold of inhibition (greater than 70%) of neuropathy target esterase (NTE), the putative target for delayed neuropathy, was reached within 5-6 days. High AChE inhibition (greater than 90%), however, was measured within hours after dosing because of the higher potency of chlorpyrifos to inhibit this enzyme. In vitro studies showed that chlorpyrifos-oxon, the active metabolite of chlorpyrifos, was 10-20 times more active against AChE than against NTE, confirming the clinical observation. No differences were seen between human and hen enzymes in this respect. Hen and human brain homogenates contain A-esterases which hydrolysed chlorpyrifos to about the same extent in both species. In conclusion, chlorpyrifos causes delayed polyneuropathy in the hen, as was reported in man. The reasons for previous negative data in the hen are probably due to the relatively lower doses which were used. Judging from in vitro studies with hen and human enzymes, there are no differences in the two species as far as their relative sensitivity to delayed polyneuropathy. It is likely that delayed polyneuropathy would develop in both species only after severe cholinergic toxicity requiring aggressive antidotal treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Promotion of organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride.

Certain sulfonates, like phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), carbamates, and phosphinates, when given prior to neuropathic doses of organophosphates such as diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DFP), protect hens from organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy (OPIDP). Protection was related to inhibition of the putative target of OPIDP, which is called Neuropathy Target Esterase (NTE). NTE inhibition above 70-80% in the nervous system of hens followed by a molecular rearrangement called aging initiates OPIDP. PMSF and other protective chemicals inhibit NTE but OPIDP does not develop because aging cannot occur. DFP (1 mg/kg sc) inhibited NTE above 70-80% in peripheral nerve and caused OPIDP in hens. Lower doses (0.3 and 0.5 mg/kg sc) caused about 40-60% NTE inhibition and no or marginal OPIDP. Chlorpyrifos (90 mg/kg po) also caused OPIDP. When repeated (30 mg/kg sc daily for 9 days) or single (5-120 mg/kg sc) doses of PMSF were given after either DFP or chlorpyrifos, OPIDP developed in birds treated with nonneuropathic doses of DFP and was more severe in birds treated with chlorpyrifos or higher doses of DFP. PMSF increased NTE inhibition to greater than 90%. Promotion of OPIDP with a single dose of PMSF (120 mg/kg sc) was obtained in birds up to 11 days after a marginally neuropathic dose of DFP (0.5 mg/kg sc). Promotion was also obtained with phenyl N-methyl N-benzyl carbamate (40 mg/kg iv) but not with non-NTE inhibitors in vivo such as paraoxon or benzenesulfonyl fluoride when given at maximum tolerated doses. These results indicate that protection from OPIDP is only one effect of PMSF because promotion of OPIDP is also observed depending upon the sequence of dosing. Either effect is always related to the doses of PMSF, which inhibit NTE.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Indoor spraying with the pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin: effects on spraymen and inhabitants of sprayed houses.

In March 1990 a study was carried out in the village of Kicheba, United Republic of Tanzania, in which the pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin was sprayed on all the internal surfaces of houses and other shelters at a coverage of about 25 mg of active ingredient per m2. Every day for 6 days, 12 spraymen and 3 squad-leaders were interviewed about symptoms of overexposure to the insecticide. Each sprayman used up to 62 g of lambda-cyhalothrin over 2.7-5.1 hours every day. All the spraymen complained at least once of symptoms that were related to exposure to lambda-cyhalothrin, the commonest being itching and burning of the face, and nose or throat irritation frequently accompanied by sneezing or coughing. Facial symptoms occurred on non-protected areas only. The symptoms were experienced at various times after the beginning of exposure and disappeared before the following morning. The number of subjects affected and the duration of their facial symptoms were proportional to the amount of compound sprayed. A sample of individuals was interviewed 1 day and 5-6 days after their houses had been sprayed. One woman, who entered her house 30 minutes after the end of spraying, complained of periorbicular itching, but this lasted only a few minutes. No other significant, insecticide-related adverse effect was reported by the inhabitants of the sprayed houses.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1990

Exposure to toluene increases the urinary excretion of D-glucaric acid.

Workers at a printing plant exposed to low concentrations of toluene (43-401 mg/m3, median 155 mg/m3) had increased urinary D-glucaric acid (3.55-5.12 mmol/mol creatinine) excretion at the end of the shift compared with controls (2.45-3.35 mmol/mol creatinine). No increase was found after the summer holiday (1.92-2.89 mmol/mol creatinine) but excretion had increased two weeks later (4.05-5.55 mmol/mol creatinine). These changes in the excretion of D-glucaric acid were not correlated to levels of exposure, to changes of urinary hippuric acid and o-cresol half lives (three to eight hours), nor to o-cresol/hippuric acid concentration ratios when measured at the end of daily exposure. Since a significant intra and interindividual variability of urinary D-glucaric acid was found in all groups, urinary D-glucaric acid excretion is suitable to monitor group but not individual exposure.

Environmental Exposure↗
PubMed1989

Human serum "A"-esterases. Hydrolysis of O,O-dimethyl-2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate.

Some characteristics of the hydrolysis of O,O-dimethyl-2,2 dichlorovinyl phosphate (DDVP) by human serum are reported and compared with the hydrolysis of O,O-diethyl-4-nitrophenyl phosphate (paraoxon) which is a substrate for Paraoxonase, a known "A"-esterase of human serum. When incubated with human serum, DDVP was losing its inhibitory power toward acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The loss of DDVP followed first order kinetics and was proportional to serum dilution. The disappearance of DDVP after incubation with human serum was not due to protein binding. Apparent Km and Vm for the hydrolysis of DDVP were 7.1 mM and 143 nmol.min-1.ml-1. The pH sensitivity, EDTA inhibitory and Ca2+ requirements of DDVP-ase were similar to those of Paraoxonase. DDVP inhibited the Paraoxonase activity and paraoxon inhibited the DDVP-ase activity. Ca2+, Ag+ and Hg2+ were better inhibitors of the Paraoxonase than the DDVP-ase. The rate of heat inactivation was also different; at 55 degrees Paraoxonase inactivated almost completely within 10 min, while DDVP-ase lost only about 10% activity over 1 hr. Consequently, DDVP-ase and Paraoxonase can be differentiated by means of heat sensitivity. The DDVP-ase was normally distributed in a population of 60 individuals, while Paraoxonase is known to show a marked polymorphism.

Aryldialkylphosphatase↗
PubMed1989

In vivo and in vitro regional differential sensitivity of neuropathy target esterase to di-n-butyl-2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate.

Organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy (OPIDP) is initiated by inhibition/aging of more than 70-75% of neuropathy target esterase (NTE). Di-n-butyl-2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate (DBDCVP) (1 mg/kg s.c.) inhibited 96%, 86% and 83% of NTE in brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve, respectively, and induced a typical central peripheral distal axonopathy in hens. A lower dose (0.45 mg/kg s.c.) caused 90%, 83% and 54% NTE inhibition in the same organs; by contrast, hens developed a spastic ataxia with axonal degeneration in spinal cord but not in peripheral nerve. With a dose of 0.2 mg/kg s.c., a suprathreshold inhibition of NTE was produced in brain (78%) but not in spinal cord (56%) and peripheral nerve (33%) and no morphological or clinical signs of neuropathy developed in hens. With doses up to 4.0 mg/kg s.c., acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition was similar throughout the nervous system. In vitro time-course inhibition studies showed a different sensitivity to DBDCVP of NTE from peripheral nerve (ka = 5.4 x 10(6)) relative to that from spinal cord (ka = 13.9 x 10(6)) or brain (ka = 20.6 x 10(6)). In vitro I50s of DBDCVP for AChE were similar in brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve (11-17 nM). These data support the hypothesis that the critical target for initiation of OPIDP is located in the nerve fiber, possibly in the axon and also suggest that peripheral nerve NTE has a different sensitivity to DBDCVP than the brain enzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Biochemical approach to occupational neurotoxicology.

Dose-effect and dose-response relationships in occupational neurotoxicology are rarely studied by means of biochemical methods. Some biochemical markers are however available to extrapolate from animal to man and to use in monitoring human exposures. They might be framed in three categories exploring: the delivery of chemicals to the site of action, the modifications of the molecular target induced by chemicals, the biochemical consequences of these modifications. Estimation of absorbed doses in man is possible for virtually every neurotoxic chemical by means of analytical chemistry of body fluids. Protein adducts, as measured in cellular and other blood components, might assess more closely the delivery in vivo, to the site of action. In this way also in vivo comparisons across species will be more precise. Examples include haemoglobin adducts, plasma pseudocholinesterase inhibition etc. In addition measurements of blood enzymes involved in the detoxification (e.g. A-esterases and organophosphorus esters) might contribute to assess metabolic capabilities. Once the molecular target of neurotoxicity is known, extrapolations across species are easy to make. Biochemical markers reflecting in vivo the effect at the site of action are available in very few cases, when the same target is accessible in body fluids. In such circumstances the biochemical marker represents an integrated dose/effect index. Examples include Red Blood Cell Acetylcholinesterase and Lymphocyte Neuropathy Target Esterase for acute and delayed neurotoxicity of organophosphorus esters. The understanding of the pathogenesis of a neurotoxic effect might lead to markers reflecting biochemical consequences of the interaction of the chemical with the target. The specificity of the test will dissect the chain of pathogenetic events from secondary consequences.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Humans↗
PubMed1988

Progressive deficits in retrograde axon transport precede degeneration of motor axons in acrylamide neuropathy.

Single injection of acrylamide (1.3 mmol/kg, i.p.) inhibited retrograde axon transport of [125I]tetanus toxin in hen sensory and motor axons. Retrograde axon transport deficits appeared within hours of dosing with acrylamide. The inhibitory effect of acrylamide on retrograde axon transport was transient since transport deficits were not detectable 35 h after dosing. Acrylamide impaired the retrograde movement but not the uptake of [125I]tetanus toxin in the axon. Multiple doses of acrylamide (0.42 mmol/kg, i.p.) induced progressive clinical signs of acrylamide neuropathy that correlated with increasing deficits in retrograde axon transport of [125I]tetanus toxin to ventral spinal cord. Deficits were also observed in sensory neurons but were not statistically significant. Accumulated decrements in retrograde axon transport may be the underlying cause of degeneration of motor axons in acrylamide neuropathy in fowl.

Acrylamide↗
PubMed1988

Axotomy-induced ornithine decarboxylase activity in the mouse dorsal root ganglion is inhibited by the vinca alkaloids.

Vinca alkaloids were used to study the role of retrograde axon transport (RT) in activating neuron perikaryal repair response to nerve transection. Mouse lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRG) (L4-L6) were excised 48 hours after unilateral transection of the sciatic nerve and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity determined. ODC activity in DRG ipsilateral to nerve transection was increased 10-20 fold over contralateral values. Typical ODC activities in ipsilateral and contralateral DRG samples were 6.18 +/- 1.4 and 0.31 +/- 0.09 pmol 14CO2 released/h/3DRG, respectively. Systemic administration of single doses of either vincristine (1 mg/kg) or vinblastine (5 mg/kg) immediately prior to axotomy attenuated ODC induction in ipsilateral DRG by 39% and 47%, respectively. A direct inhibition of ODC activity in the DRG appears unlikely since only high concentrations of vinblastine (0.5-1.0 mM) were able to inhibit ODC activity in vitro. We suggest vinca alkaloids inhibit ODC induction as a consequence of disrupting retrograde axonal transport. Interruption of this intracellular communication mechanism may be etiologically linked to the the distal axon degeneration which follows repetitive exposure to vinca alkaloids and other agents that induce toxic axonal neuropathy.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Blood copper in organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy.

Some organophosphorous esters cause a polyneuropathy which becomes clinically evident 2 weeks after a single dose. The pathogenesis involves modifications of a target protein, neuropathy target esterase, in the axons and a selective inhibition of retrograde axonal transport. It was suggested that copper metabolism might also be involved because of increased levels of plasma copper and ceruloplasmin in animals developing this polyneuropathy. Our results do not confirm this observation; treatment of hens with highly neuropathic single doses of two organophosphates (dihexyl-2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate and mono-o-cresyl diphenyl phosphate) does not affect total and plasma free copper when measured several times during the development of polyneuropathy. We concluded that copper homeostasis is not affected and that copper changes are unlikely to be involved in the pathogenesis of this polyneuropathy.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Central-peripheral delayed neuropathy caused by diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DFP): segregation of peripheral nerve and spinal cord effects using biochemical, clinical, and morphological criteria.

Systemic injection of diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DFP; 1 mg/kg, sc) causes delayed neuropathy in hens. This effect is associated with a high level of organophosphorylation of neuropathy target esterase (NTE) followed by an intramolecular rearrangement called "aging." Phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) also attacks the active center of NTE but "aging" cannot occur. This compound does not cause neuropathy and protects against a subsequent challenge systemic dose of DFP. Intraarterial injection of DFP (0.185 mg/kg) into only one leg of hens caused a high NTE inhibition (greater than 80%) in the sciatic nerve of the injected leg, but not in other parts of the nervous system (37% average). A unilateral neuropathy with typical histopathological lesions developed in the injected leg. PMSF (0.55 mg/kg) injected into each sciatic artery caused 47% inhibition of sciatic nerve NTE but only 17-22% inhibition of NTE elsewhere; it did not produce clinical or histopathological lesions. When these hens were challenged with DFP (1 mg/kg, sc), high inhibition of residual-free NTE (greater than 85%) occurred throughout the nervous system and clinical signs of a syndrome different from the classical delayed neuropathy developed: this spinal cord type of ataxia was associated with histopathological lesions in the spinal cord but not in peripheral nerve. PMSF (1 mg/kg) injected into only one sciatic artery caused selective protective inhibition of sciatic nerve NTE of that leg. After systemic challenge by DFP, clinical effects expressed were a combination of spinal cord ataxia plus unilateral peripheral neuropathy. The challenge dose of DFP (1 mg/kg, sc) was insufficient to produce clear histopathological lesions in unprotected peripheral nerves although spinal lesions were found in these hens. Thus clinical evaluation of the peripheral nervous system by means of walking tests and a simple test of "leg retraction" reflexes was more sensitive and specific in diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy than was the histopathology.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Progressive deficit of retrograde axonal transport is associated with the pathogenesis of di-n-butyl dichlorvos axonopathy.

The induction of central-peripheral distal axonopathy in hens singly dosed with some organophosphorus (OP) compounds, such as di-n-butyl-2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate (DBDCVP), requires greater than 80% organophosphorylation and subsequent intramolecular rearrangement ("aging") of a protein [neuropathy target esterase (NTE)] in the axon. Suprathreshold biochemical reaction, 24 h after dosing with DBDCVP (0.75-1.00 mg/kg s.c.), is shown to be associated with progressive decrement of retrograde axonal transport in sensory and motor fibers. The maximum transport deficit (about 70% reduction) is reached 7 days after DBDCVP, prior to the appearance of axonal degeneration and the onset of clinical signs of neuropathy (day 10-11). By contrast, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (30 mg/kg s.c.), an agent that prevents the development of OP neuropathy by inhibiting NTE without the "aging" reaction, had no effect on axon transport, nerve fiber integrity, or clinical status and, when administered prior to a neurotoxic dose of DBDCVP (1.00 mg/kg s.c.), prevented DBDCVP effects. Paraoxon (0.2 mg/kg s.c.) neither inhibited NTE nor caused deficits in retrograde transport or neuropathy. Taken in concert, these studies demonstrate that induced deficits in retrograde transport are associated with the pathogenesis of OP-induced nerve-fiber degeneration and the threshold-initiating mechanism thereof.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Inhibition of lymphocytic neuropathy target esterase predicts the development of organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy.

Neuropathy Target Esterase (NTE) is the molecular target in the nervous system for organophosphorus esters (OP) when they cause delayed polyneuropathy. Some NTE activity was recently found also in blood lymphocytes. An unsuccessful suicide attempt with the widely used pesticide chlorpyrifos (0,0-diethyl-0-3,5,6,-trichloro-2-pyridyl phosphorothioate) is reported, where prior inhibition of lymphocytic NTE correlates with the delayed development of polyneuropathy. A 42-year-old man drank approximately 300 mg/kg chlorpyrifos. The subsequent severe cholinergic syndrome lasted for 17 days with varying degrees of severity. Thirty days after intoxication the clinical and electrophysiological examination of the peripheral nervous system was normal but lymphocytic NTE was about 60% inhibited. On day 43 the patient began to complain of paresthesia and leg weakness. Clinical examination, electrophysiology and a nerve biopsy revealed signs of a peripheral polyneuropathy, axonal in type. This case report indicates that measurement of lymphocytic NTE might be used as a clinical test to predict the development of OP-induced delayed polyneuropathy.

Adult↗