title: The effect of crotoxin on the release of acetylcholine and lactate dehydrogenase from rat brain cortical slices.
abstract: 1. We have studied the effects of crotoxin, the neurotoxin of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus, on the release of acetylcholine and lactate dehydrogenase from rat brain cortical slices. 2. Crotoxin enhances the release of [3H]-acetylcholine from cortical slices (control values 92.8 +/- 5.9 and 150.3 +/- 11.7 DPM/mg and crotoxin values 199.1 +/- 7.0 and 336.0 +/- 26.0 DPM/mg, at 60 and 120 min incubation, respectively) in parallel with the release of lactate dehydrogenase (control values 50.4 +/- 16.8 and 80.3 +/- 19.5 U/mg and crotoxin values 162.5 +/- 39.1 and 355.7 +/- 38.2 U/mg, at 60 and 120 min incubation, respectively). Both effects are markedly reduced when substituting Sr2+ for Ca2+ in the incubation medium. 3. It is concluded that the phospholipase activity of crotoxin is responsible for the observed effects.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Immunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Beirão
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Gomez
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003439:Crotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013324:Strontium / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D014316:Tritium; D003439:Crotoxin; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D000109:Acetylcholine; D002118:Calcium; D013324:Strontium