Time course and disposition of fucose radioactivity in rat hippocampus. A biochemical and microautoradiographic study.

Male adult rats were injected intraventricularly with L-[1-3H]fucose. At various intervals, ranging between 30 min and 11 days, one-half of the brain was prepared for microautoradiography, and the hippocampus from the other side was prepared for biochemical investigations. The TCA-precipitable proteins from the hippocampus homogenate were maximally labeled at between 8 and 24 h and remained at a high radioactivity level even 11 days after [3H]-fucose injection, the labeling being predominantly present in the solubilized insoluble proteins. Using gel electrophoretic separation, study of Tris-soluble material indicated a rapid turnover of soluble fucose-containing glycoproteins, whereas several slow-migrating bands of solubulized proteins revealed a time course suggesting the presence of fucose-containing glycoproteins with slower turnover rates. Using microautoradiography, a rapid labeling of neuronal cell bodies of the hippocampus was found, whereas the nuclei were not labeled. Perikarya were maximally labeled 4 h after [3H]fucose application. The radioactive material was continuously transported from the soma into the corresponding fiber layers, the latter being maximally labeled at a pulse interval of one day; even 10 days later a considerable amount of radioactivity could be detected in the neuropil.