title: Dithiocarbamate pesticides affect glutamate transport in brain synaptic vesicles.
abstract: Dithiocarbamate compounds are widely used agricultural fungicides that display low acute toxicity in mammals and that may become neurotoxic after prolonged exposure. Mancozeb, among other dithiocarbamates tested, proved to be the most potent (Ki= 0.27 microM) at noncompetitively inhibiting the in vitro ATP-dependent uptake of [3H]glutamate in rat cortical vesicles. Furthermore, mancozeb partially (20%) inhibited the ATP-dependent uptake of [14C]methylamine, used as an index for the vesicular transmembrane proton gradient (DeltapH), and evoked its efflux from organelles previously incubated with the 3H-labeled marker. Meanwhile, the vesicular uptake of 36chloride- anions whose concentrations regulate the transmembrane potential gradient (DeltapsiSV) was not impaired. The dithiocarbamate effects on the vesicular transport of [3H]glutamate thus appeared to involve mainly the DeltapH gradient rather than the potential gradient. Dithiocarbamate metabolites, the potent neurotoxin carbon disulfide included, did not affect the uptake process, thus implying the relevance for inhibition of the persistence, if any, of parent compounds in the brain. The present novel and potent in vitro interferences of selected dithiocarbamate pesticides with the vesicular transport of glutamate, if representative of in vivo alterations, may play some role in the probably complex origin of dithiocarbamate neurotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: "Bernard B. Brodie" Department of Neuroscience, Neurotoxicology Unit, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaccari
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mocci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruiu
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008344:Maneb / Q000494:pharmacology; D008744:Methylamines / Q000378:metabolism; D010575:Pesticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013859:Thiocarbamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015038:Zineb / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D008744:Methylamines; D010575:Pesticides; D013859:Thiocarbamates; D008344:Maneb; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; C027451:methylamine; C013099:mancozeb; D015038:Zineb