title: Sarin causes altered time course of mRNA expression of alpha tubulin in the central nervous system of rats.
abstract: Sarin induced neurotoxicity is suspected to be one of the key factors responsible for Gulf-war syndrome. We studied the effect of a single (50 microg/kg/i.m) dose of sarin (0.5 x LD50) on the mRNA expression of alpha tubulin in the central nervous system (CNS) of rats which were sacrificed at different time points i.e. 1 and 2 hrs, as well as, 1, 3 and 7 days post-treatment. Northern data collected from CNS regions indicate differential, spatial, and temporal regulation of alpha tubulin mRNA levels. Immediate induction and persistence of alpha tubulin transcripts in sarin-treated CNS suggest that sarin-induced neurotoxicity is in part mediated by the altered expression of cytoskeletal genes which may be regulated at multiple levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.
authors.forename: Tirupapuliyur V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Damodaran
authors.forename: Alicia A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mecklai
authors.forename: Mohamed B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Abou-Donia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012524:Sarin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014404:Tubulin; D012524:Sarin