Pyrethroid inhibition of basal and calmodulin stimulated Ca2+ ATPase and adenylate cyclase in rat brain.

Effects of two classes of pyrethroids, permethrin and resmethrin (type I), cypermethrin and deltamethrin (type II), on basal (calmodulin-deficient) and calmodulin stimulated activities of Ca2+ ATPase and adenylate cyclase from rat brain were studied in vitro. None of the pyrethroids inhibited synaptosomal basal Ca2+ ATPase, but permethrin and deltamethrin inhibited basal adenylate cyclase in the nuclear fraction of a brain homogenate. Both groups of pyrethroids decreased the calmodulin activated Ca2+ ATPase and adenylate cyclase from brain synaptosomes and nuclear fraction. The results indicate that calmodulin-stimulated Ca2+ ATPase is more sensitive to type II pyrethroids and pyrethroids are more effective on calmodulin stimulated enzymes than basal enzyme activities. Since calmodulin, adenylate cyclase and Ca2+ ATPase are known to participate in various brain processes, it is possible that pyrethroids alter neural transmission, however, additional in vivo work would be needed to confirm this possibility.