SELECTIVE PROMOTION BY PHENYLMETHANESULFONYL FLUORIDE OF PERIPHERAL AND SPINAL-CORD NEUROPATHIES INITIATED BY DIISOPROPYL PHOSPHOROFLUORIDATE IN THE HEN

This paper reports studies in hens showing that diisopropyl phosphorof luoridate (DFP) neuropathy is promoted by PMSF when initiated either i n central (spinal cord) or peripheral nervous system. Moreover, the cr itical site for promotion is in peripheral nerve axons rather than in their cell bodies. Selective promotion in peripheral nerves was achiev ed by giving PMSF into sciatic artery monolaterally (7 mg/kg) to birds where neuropathy was initiated by DFP, either systemically (0.3 mg/kg s.c.) or intra-arterially (0.04 mg/kg in the same artery). Birds deve loped monolateral neuropathy in the leg where PMSF was delivered. Prom otion of spinal cord neuropathy was achieved by giving PMSF (120 mg/kg s.c.) to birds where neuropathy was initiated selectively in spinal c ord. This was obtained by protecting peripheral axons with intra-arter ial bilateral injections of PMSF (0.55 x 2 mg/kg) followed by DFP (0.3 , 0.4 or 0.7 mg/kg s.c.). The resulting syndrome was characterized by spastic ataxia.