Effect of single and repeated doses of acrylamide and bis-acrylamide on glutathione-S-transferase and dopamine receptors in rat brain.

The effect of single and repeated doses of acrylamide (a neurotoxin) and N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (a non-neurotoxic analogue of acrylamide) on glutathione (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and dopamine receptors has been studied in rat brain. In vitro, both acrylamide and bis-acrylamide decreased brain GSH content in a concentration-dependent manner. At equimillimolar concentrations (2-10 mM) bis-acrylamide was more effective than acrylamide in lowering GSH levels. In vitro, GST activity was also inhibited as a function of acrylamide concentration. A single dose of either acrylamide or bis-acrylamide depleted GSH content of rat brain in a concentration-dependent manner without inhibiting GST activity. Repeated administration of either acrylamide or bis-acrylamide in rats (50 mg/kg X 10 days) decreased GSH content in the brain but GST activity was inhibited only by acrylamide and not by bis-acrylamide. Single or repeated injections of acrylamide but not of bis-acrylamide increased brain dopamine receptors ([3H]spiroperidol binding) in a concentration-dependent manner.