Potential biomarkers of dichlorvos induced neuronal injury in rats

The present study was designed to develop suitable biochemical markers of chronic dichlorvos exposure using rat as the animal model. Animals were exposed to dichlorvos (6 mg kg-1 (body weight) day-1) for 8 weeks and the activities of five potential markers were assayed. Acetylcholinesterase, assayed as an index of cholinergic function, was found to decrease in both haemolysate and brain tissue. Cytochrome oxidase, used as a marker of impaired energy metabolism, was also seen to decrease in platelets and brains of dichlorvos-treated animals. However, acid phosphatase, a lysosomal marker of tissue injury, was increased in both serum and brains of experimental animals. Chronic dichlorvos exposure also led to a decrease in the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, which was assayed in brain as an index of oxidative stress. Dichlorvos administration did not affect 2', 3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase. The present study therefore, indicates that apart from acetylcholinesterase, which is probably a non-specific marker of dichlorvos neurotoxicity, the levels of cytochrome oxidase, acid phosphatase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase may serve as useful determinants of dichlorvosinduced neuronal injury.