Effects of subacute treatment with toluene on cerebrocortical alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors in the rat. Evidence for an increased number and a reduced affinity of beta-adrenergic receptors.
Subacute treatment with toluene (80-1500 p.p.m.) produces a dose-dependent reduction of affinity and increase in density of the beta-adrenergic antagonist [3H]dihydroalprenolol binding sites in the frontoparietal cortex of the male rat, while the binding characteristics of alpha 1-adrenergic ([3H]WB 4101) and alpha 2-adrenergic ([3H]p-aminoclonidine) binding sites in the same region is unaffected by this treatment as evaluated in vitro. Therefore, it is suggested that the cortical beta-adrenergic receptors are particularly vulnerable to the action of toluene in vivo. It is speculated that as a result cortical beta-adrenergic neurotransmission may be altered following exposure to low concentrations of toluene, possibly related to the physico-chemical properties of toluene, leading to changes in membrane fluidity.
D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D003000:Clonidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004082:Dihydroalprenolol / Q000378:metabolism; D004146:Dioxanes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000187:drug effects*; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000187:drug effects*; D014050:Toluene / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004146:Dioxanes; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D014050:Toluene; D004082:Dihydroalprenolol; C016986:apraclonidine; C010654:(2-(2',6'-dimethoxy)phenoxyethylamino)methylbenzo-1,4-dioxane; D003000:Clonidine