Acceleration of anterograde axonal transport in cat sciatic nerve by diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate

The effect of a neurotoxic dose of 5.0 mg/kg, s.c. diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DFP) on anterograde transport of 35S-methionine labeled proteins in cat peripheral nerve was studied. Seven days after dosing, after 24 h of flow there was 48% less radioactivity in the distal portion of the nerve. A lesser effect was also found at 4 and 14 days after dosing. After 10 or 14 h of flow, the height of the crest was unchanged, but the distance of the crest from the ganglia was greater in the DFP-treated animals. These experiments indicate that DFP treatment accelerates fast anterograde transport.