Soman poisoning alters p38 MAPK pathway in rat cerebellar Purkinje cells

The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and MAPK-activated transcription factors elk-1, c-jun and c-myc in rat cerebellar Purkinje cells after soman poisoning to investigate the pathogenetic mechanism of non-specific long-term adverse effects of nerve agents. Male Wistar rats were poisoned by intramuscular administration of soman at a dose 60 microg kg(-1) (80% LD(50)), while control animals were administered physiological saline. Samples were taken 1, 7 and 14 days after poisoning, immunohistochemically stained and p-p38MAPK, p-c-jun, p-c-myc, and p-elk-1 expressions were measured using computer image analysis. An increased expression of phosphorylated p38 MAPK and c-myc 14 days after soman poisoning was found, while both activated elk-1 and c-jun expression remained unchanged 1, 7 and 14 days after intoxication. Late activation of p38 MAPK and their targets might be the underlying mechanism of chronic neurophysiological adverse effects.