N-(2-CHLOROETHYL)-N-ETHYL-2-BROMOBENZYLAMINE (DSP-4) HAS DIFFERENTIALEFFICACY FOR CAUSING CENTRAL NORADRENERGIC LESIONS IN 2 DIFFERENT RATSTRAINS - COMPARISON BETWEEN LONG-EVANS AND SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS

We tested the hypothesis that Long-Evans (LE) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat strains were equally sensitive to the noradrenergic neurotoxin N-( 2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4) with respect to cent ral lesions of locus coeruleus (LC) terminals as measured by immunohis tochemical localization of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (D beta H). Analy sis of D beta H immunoreactivity was made by both qualitative and quan titative methods. Intraperitoneal injections of 50 mg/kg DSP-4 caused a dramatic reduction of noradrenergic terminals in the neocortex, hipp ocampus and cerebellum of SD, but not LE rats as compared to saline-in jected controls. This finding indicates that LE rats are less sensitiv e than SD rats to the neurotoxic effects of DSP-4 in the central nervo us system.