Biochemical Markers for Exposure to Low Doses of Organophosphorus Insecticides
Abstract
Though acetyicholinesterase is the primary target of organophosphorus toxicants, our finding that acetyicholinesterase knockout mice are supersensitive to the lethal effects of VX, DFP, chlorpyrifos oxon, and iso-OMPA demonstrates that other important targets exist. The goal of this work is to identify non-acetylcholinesterase targets of organophosphorus toxicants. Biotinylated-organophosphate was used to label proteins in mouse brain. The labeled proteins were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized with avidin conjugated to a fluorophore. This method has yielded 29 organophosphorus-reactive protein bands in mouse brain. They range in size from 15 to 100 kDa. Rate constants for reaction with biotinylated organophosphate were measured for the 29 proteins as well as for purified human acetyicholinesterase and human butyrylcholinesterase. A method has been developed to screen proteins for reactivity with organophosphorus agents. This work is expected to identify new biological markers for low dose exposure to organophosphorus toxicants and to explain the neurologic symptoms of some of our Gulf War veterans.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA408118
Entities
People
- Oksana Lockridge
Organizations
- University of Nebraska Medical Center