Neurotoxin 6-aminonicotinamide affects levels of soluble proteins and enzyme activities in various tissues of golden hamsters

The effects of neurotoxin 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN) on the levels of solub le proteins and enzyme activities in various tissues of golden hamsters wer e investigated. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that a solubl e spinal cord protein with molecular mass 75.0 kDa was present at a higher concentration in the treated group compared to that in the control while th at of a molecular mass 64.8 kDa appeared to be missing. However, there were no noticeable differences in protein concentrations observed with the cere brum, brain stem, and cerebellum. Similarly, treatment with 6-AN decreased the concentration of a soluble protein in pectoral muscle having molecular mass 97.2 kDa and increased those having molecular masses 207.4 and 32.1 kD a. In the kidney, soluble proteins with molecular masses 176.6 kDa was miss ing and those of molecular masses 97.6, 49, 43.3, and 33.8 kDa were decreas ed whereas those of molecular masses 64.7 and 33.1 kDa were increased. In t he testis the soluble proteins with molecular masses 125.4, 88.7, 69.0, 31. 2, 19.1, and 17.4 kDa were missing and those of molecular masses 97.0, 51.3 , 42.0, 33.0, 27.2, and 22.6 kDa were present in lower amounts whereas thos e of molecular masses 311.5, 75.0, 64.0, 54.1, and 53.2 kDa were present in higher amounts. The specific activity of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase was markedly increased in the liver but that of other tissues was not affec ted. Acetylcholinesterase activity was markedly reduced in the spleen but w as enhanced in the intestine. Monoamine oxidase activity was markedly reduc ed in the brain stem, cerebrum, kidney, and liver. The results suggest that the changes in levels of soluble proteins and enzyme activities shown with golden hamster tissues by 6-AN administration were quite different from th ose shown with quail tissues. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights res erved.