PARVALBUMIN-IMMUNOREACTIVE NEURONS ARE NOT AFFECTED BY TRIMETHYLTIN-INDUCED NEURODEGENERATION IN THE RAT HIPPOCAMPUS

The present study investigates, by immunocytochemistry, the behavior o f different neuronal subpopulations of the rat hippocampus in neurodeg enerative processes induced by the neurotoxicant trimethyltin. The cal cium-binding proteins calbindin and parvalbumin are used as selective markers of different neuronal subpopulations. The effects of the neuro toxicant were apparent 21 days after a single i.p. administration with severe neuronal loss, which was significant in CA1 and CA3, as reveal ed by cell counts after cresyl violet staining. Immunolabeling with ca lbindin D28-k (CB) and parvalbumin (PV) indicated severe cell loss of CB-containing neurons, essentially reflecting the generalized neuronal loss, while PV-containing neurons appeared to be selectively spared b y the neurotoxicant-induced degeneration. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc .