Mp. Cuajungco et Gj. Lees, PREVENTION OF ZINC NEUROTOXICITY IN-VIVO BY N,N,N',N'-TETRAKIS (2-PYRIDYLMETHYL) ETHYLENEDIAMINE (TPEN), NeuroReport, 7(7), 1996, pp. 1301-1304
INTRAHIPPOCAMPAL injections of zinc chloride (10 nmol) produce lesions
in the rat hippocampus. A heavy metal chelator N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyr
idylmethyl)-ethylene-diamine (TPEN), co-injected with zinc chloride in
vivo, totally prevented zinc-induced neuronal loss. Furthermore, intr
ahippocampal injections of TPEN (10 nmol) were non-toxic when compared
with controls. TPEN injections in vivo quenched the in vitro staining
of brain sections for zinc (Timm's stain), particularly the staining
of the hippocampal messy fibres. This demonstrates that TPEN is taken
up by zinc-containing neurones in vivo. The use of TPEN to block the a
ctions of zinc could help define the possible role of zinc in the path
ology of various neurological disorders.