The effect of intoxication with alkylnitrosourea derivatives on cerebral myelin

Adult BD IX rats were injected with methylnitrosourea and pregnant mice on the 15th day of gestation with a single intravenous dose of ethylnitrosourea and pregnant mice on the 15th day of gestation with a single intravenous dose of ethylnitrosourea. The cerebral myelin fraction of adult BD IX rats and of the mice offsprings was studied. It was found that a part of the rats intoxicated with methylnitrosourea developed spongious changes in the cerebral and cerebellar white matter. The myelin fraction of intoxicated rats also showed severe losses of sphingomyelin with a steady increase in the cholesterol ester content. The myelin fraction from mice intoxicated during the foetal development appeared deficient with respect to galactolipids and plasmalogen. It is concluded that, besides the carcinogenic effect, alkylnitrosourea derivatives effectively disturb the lipid metabolism of membrane structures of the central nervous system.