A study of 5'-nucleotidase activity in subcellular fractions of rat cerebellum after the administration of the convulsant 3-mercaptopropionic acid.

The activity of 5'-nucleotidase in cerebellum subcellular fractions after the administration of the convulsant 3-mercaptopropionic acid was studied. This membrane enzyme presented an increase in its activity in certain fractions containing nerve endings and microsomes (Mic20, Mic100) in seizure and postseizure periods. 5'-nucleotidase activity in nuclear and myelin fractions did not show differences between the control and treated fractions. On the other hand, a decreased activity in the crude mitochondrial fraction and in a nuclear subfraction was found. It is suggested that the changes in the enzyme activity in some cerebellum fractions might be related to structural alterations previously observed in this laboratory and with the anticonvulsant actions of adenosine.