Involvement of superoxide in malaoxon-induced toxicity in primary cultures of cortical neurons.

Organophosphorus compounds (OP) represent a class of insecticides that are used most globally. The neurotoxic effects are attributed mainly to acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme inhibition, which is responsible for cholinergic manifestations in individuals acutely exposed to OP. However, AChE inhibition alone cannot account for the wide range of symptoms that were reported following OP exposures. In agreement with this, evidence shows that non-cholinergic events may be mechanistically linked to OP-induced neurotoxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential occurrence of oxidative stress as a critical step in the toxicity induced by the OP malaoxon(MAL) using primary cultures of mouse cortical neurons, as well as to distinguish MAL-induced oxidative stress and cell toxicity from an action on AChE blockade. Primary cultures of mouse cortical neurons were treated with MAL (0.01; 0.1; 1; 10; or 100 µM) at varying time points (1, 3, 6, 24, 48, or 144 hr) and the following biochemical parameters determined including cell viability, AChE activity, and superoxide production. MAL significantly reduced cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Of note, 1 µM MAL significantly inhibited (approximately 75%) AChE activity after 48 hr incubation. Pralidoxime (PRAL) (600 µM), a classical AChE reactivator, significantly protected against MAL-induced AChE blockade; however, PRAL did not affect MAL-mediated fall in cellular viability, indicating that AChE inhibition is not necessarily correlated with insecticide-induced decrease in cell survival. MAL-induced diminished cell viability was preceded by a significant increase in superoxide anion production. The antioxidant agent ascorbic acid (AA) (200 µM), which significantly protected against MAL-induced superoxide anion production, did not alter MAL-induced AChE inhibition and significantly prevented insecticide-mediated fall in cell survival. Data show that increased superoxide anion production is an event that precedes MAL-induced cell toxicity in primary cultures of mouse cortical neurons. Based on the preventative effects of AA against MAL-mediated superoxide anion production and reduced cell viability, evidence indicates that oxidative stress represents an important step mediating MAL-induced toxicity in neurons and that AChE inhibition is not necessarily correlated with lowered cell survival noted in insecticide-exposed cells.