Neuropathology of mouse hippocampus in acute trimethyltin intoxication

BALB/c mice were injected IP with a single dose of trimethyltin chloride (3.0 mg TMT/kg body weight). Severe body tremor was observed within 12 hours post-injection. All animals were sacrificed 48 hours post-injection by means of intracardial perfusion with 2.5% buffered glutaraldehyde. Light microscopic examination revealed extensive neuronal necrosis in the granule cells of the fascia dentata of the hippocampus. Scattered neuronal loss was also observed in the pyriform cortex, the neocortex, amygdaloid nucleus, and the brainstem. Electron microscopic examination of the hippocampus revealed lysosomal accumulation in both the granule cells and pyramidal neurons. While extensive cellular necrosis was observed in the granule cells, the pyramidal neurons only displayed some dilatation and vacuolation of their endoplasmic reticulum. This report represents the first in depth pathological study in the mouse hippocampus following an acute exposure to TMT.