S-100 PROTEINS IN TRIMETHYLTIN-INDUCED NEURODEGENERATION IN THE RAT HIPPOCAMPUS - AN IMMUNOCHEMICAL AND IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL STUDY

After acute trimethyltin (TMT) intoxication (21 d after a single ip in jection at a dose of 8 mg/kg) the histological, immunohistochemical, a nd immunochemical investigation of adult rat hippocampus showed a dist inct pattern of neuronal loss, and an increase in both glial fibrillar y acidic protein-(GFAP) immunoreactive cells and GFAP concentration, a s expected. S-100-immunoreactive cells also increased markedly, wherea s the concentration of S-100 increased even more than that of GFAP. Th e data show that S-100 is an index of glial reaction to damage after T MT intoxication and suggest the potential usefulness of exploring the possibility that it may play a role in induced neurodegenerative proce sses.