Distribution of cytochrome oxidase in rat brain: studies with diaminobenzidine histochemistry in vitro and [14C]cyanide tissue labeling in vivo.

Studies in experimental animals and post-mortem studies in humans have indicated that the level of the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome oxidase within brain anatomical pathways is regulated by the long-term functional use of those pathways. To study this relationship, we have measured cytochrome oxidase spectrophotometrically in punch biopsies from different brain regions of rat. We compared these assays against results from the diaminobenzidine histochemical technique. We found a high degree of correlation (r = 0.90) between the density of diaminobenzidine reaction product and enzyme activity. This validates the usefulness of the diaminobenzidine technique for anatomical localization and measurement of this enzyme. To study the feasibility of using radioactive cyanide as an in vivo ligand of cytochrome oxidase, we performed quantitative autoradiographic analysis of rat brains of animals given an intravenous bolus injection of [14C]cyanide. Analysis of the arterial blood curve indicated a complex redistribution of cyanide between red blood cells, plasma, and tissues. Brain labeling reached peak levels at 1 min and then fell despite rising concentrations of free plasma cyanide. Analysis of autoradiographic images revealed good anatomical resolution. The density of labeling in individual structures over time failed to show a strong correlation with cytochrome oxidase activity or diaminobenzidine reaction product.