Effect of alpha-amanitin on ribonucleic acid polymerase II of rat brain nuclei and on retention of avoidance conditioning.
1. alpha-Amanitin inhibits in vitro the activity of RNA polymerase II of rat brain nuclei. 2. The toxin does not pass the blood-brain barrier, but when injected intracerebrally is highly toxic for rats, and causes inhibition of RNA polymerase II of isolated brain nuclei. 3. Intracerebral injection of alpha-amanitin 6h before training to a passive avoidance task is followed by impaired performance of rats on retesting after 7 days, without affecting performance on retesting immediately after training.
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000201:enzymology*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D012316:RNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D051381:Rats
D009183:Mycotoxins; D012316:RNA Nucleotidyltransferases