Perchloroethylene-induced reduction in glial and neuronal cell marker proteins in rat brain

Rats were exposed to continuous inhalation of 300 and 600 p.p.m. of perchloroethylene for 4 and 12 weeks. Exposure to 600 p.p.m. for 4 to 12 weeks resulted in a slower increase in brain weight. Brain region weights, total proteins and DNA were decreased in frontal cerebral cortex and brain stem but not in hippocampus after exposure to 600 p.p.m. for 12 weeks. Four marker proteins were measured to monitor the specific neurotoxic effects of perchloroethylene: S-100 protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein as glial cell markers and neurone specific enolase and neurofilament 68 kD polypeptide as neuronal markers. The concentrations of glial and neuronal cytoskeletal proteins (glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilament 68 kD polypeptide) were reduced in frontal cerebral cortex. The total tissue contents of glial proteins (S-100 protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein) were decreased in all 3 brain regions investigated (frontal cerebral cortex, hippocampus and brain stem). Neurone specific enolase was unchanged by perchloroethylene exposure. These results indicate that exposure to perchloroethylene reduces the number of brain cells, possibly glial cells, and interferes with the metabolism of cytoskeletal elements in both glial and neuronal cells.