title: Paraquat--a superoxide generator--kills neurons in the rat spinal cord.
abstract: Microdialysis was used to administer paraquat into the spinal cord of the anesthetized rat to determine the effects of the in vivo generation of the superoxide anion (O2.-) on neurons. Exposure to paraquat caused blockage of axonal conduction, destruction of the cell bodies of neurons, and a general release of amino acids. Thus, paraquat is quite harmful to neuronal tissue. Similarities between paraquat-induced damage and that previously observed from the hydroxyl radical are consistent with paraquat, causing damage by generation of reactive oxygen species and the widespread belief that generation of O2.- initiates the formation of destructive reactive oxygen species in a wide variety of traumas and other disorders.
authors.affiliation: Marine Biomedical Institute, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: McAdoo
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001216:Asparagine / Q000378:metabolism; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005998:Glycine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D010269:Paraquat / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D009498:Neurotoxins; D013481:Superoxides; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D001216:Asparagine; D010269:Paraquat; D005998:Glycine