Effects of chronic sodium azide on brain and muscle cytochrome oxidase activity: A potential model to investigate environmental contributions to neurodegenerative diseases
Jd. Berndt et al., Effects of chronic sodium azide on brain and muscle cytochrome oxidase activity: A potential model to investigate environmental contributions to neurodegenerative diseases, J TOX E H A, 63(1), 2001, pp. 67-77
Citations number
34
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology,"Pharmacology & Toxicology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH-PART A
Deficits in oxidative phosphorylation have been implicated in many neurodeg
enerative diseases. In this study, cytochrome oxidase activity was inhibite
d following a 28-d systemic administration of nonlethal sodium azide via su
bcutaneous osmotic pumps. Quantitative enzyme histochemistry was performed
on tissue sections from brain, skeletal muscle, and heart to localize cytoc
hrome oxidase activity both globally and in regions within each tissue Sign
ificant decreases of cytochrome oxidase activity were found in the brain an
d skeletal muscle but not heart. In addition, regions within each tissue we
re also analyzed, such as cortex and striatum in the brain and red and whit
e fibers in skeletal muscle. The tissue specific inhibition of cytochrome o
xidase by sodium azide could serve as a positive control for studies of oth
er mitochondrial toxins in aerobically compromised cells. Therefore, chroni
c nonlethal sodium azide administration may provide a potential rat model f
or the study of mitochondrial dysfunction and the role of environmental pol
lutants in brain and muscle tissues affected in certain neurodegenerative d
iseases.