Sulfite leads to neuron loss in the hippocampus of both normal and SOX-deficient rats

Sulfites are compounds commonly used as preservatives in foods, beverages and pharmaceuticals. Sulfite is also endogenously generated during the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids and drugs. It has been shown that sulfite is a highly toxic molecule. Many studies have examined the effects of sulfite toxicity, but the effect of ingested sulfite on the number of neurons in the hippocampus has not yet been reported. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of ingested sulfite on pyramidal neurons by counting cells in CA1 and CA3-2 subdivisions of the rat hippocampus. For this purpose, rats were assigned to one of four groups (6 rats per group): control (C), sulfite (S), deficient (D) and deficient+sulfite (DS). Sulfite oxidase deficiency was established by feeding rats a low molybdenum diet and adding 200ppm tungsten (W) to their drinking water. Sulfite (70mg/kg) was also administered to the animals via their drinking water. At the end of the experimental period, the rats were sacrificed by exsanguination under anesthesia, and their brains and livers quickly removed. The livers were used for a SOX activity assay, and the brains were used for neuronal counts in a known fraction of the CA1 and CA3-2 subdivisions of the left hippocampus using the optical fractionator method, which is a stereological method. The results showed that sulfite treatment caused a significant decrease in the total number of pyramidal neurons in three subdivisions of the hippocampus (CA1 and CA3-2) in the S, D and DS groups compared with the control group. It is concluded that exogenous administration of sulfite causes loss of pyramidal neurons in CA1 and CA3-2 subdivisions in both normal and SOX deficient rat hippocampus. This finding provides supporting evidence that sulfite is a neurotoxic molecule.