Methylated tin toxicity a reappraisal using rodents models.
Trimethyltin-induced intoxication has a great impact on human health due to the widespread occurrence of methyltin compounds. Acute TMT intoxication in humans leads to a variety of neurological symptoms which involve primarily the limbic system. In the present review we summarized the neuromorphological correlates of this neurological syndrome extending the analysis to various extra-limbic regions and detailing the fine ultrastructure of TMT-induced neuronal alterations. In order to comprehend the pathophysiology of TMT-induced neuronal damage we analysed the various experimental models of TMT-induced neurotoxicity. When comparing various animal species, it seems that the variety of neuropathological correlates are not related to species difference in the sensitivity to TMT toxicity but to a different susceptibility to secondary effects produced by TMT. In fact, apart from a primary neurotoxic damage induced by TMT at neuronal level, this compound promotes the onset of limbic and generalized seizures, which in turn add a secondary damage to that induced immediately by TMT. Thus, the different neuropathology observed in different animal species is produced mainly by a different sensitivity to epilepsy-induced brain damage.
Trabucco
A
A
Neurobiology of Movement Disorders Unit, IRCCS, INM Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy.
Di Pietro
P
P
Nori
S L
SL
Fulceri
F
F
Fumagalli
L
L
Paparelli
A
A
Fornai
F
F
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000473:pathology; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D012377:Rodentia; D014298:Trimethyltin Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*
D009498:Neurotoxins; D014298:Trimethyltin Compounds; C046488:trimethyltin