Characterization of phosphoinositide hydrolysis products induced by hexachlorocyclohexane isomers in rat brain cortex.

Water-soluble inositol metabolites were separated by anion-exchange chromatography in order to determine whether or not gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (gamma-HCH, lindane) and related compounds affect phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis in rat brain cortex slices. Hydrolysis was increased by delta- and gamma-HCH, while alpha- and beta-HCH were inactive. Muscarinic receptor stimulation of rat cortical slices with carbachol increases inositol phosphates formation. The combined effect of carbachol and the hexachlorocyclohexane isomers together were approximately equal to the sum of the effect of each one separately. The results suggest that lindane stimulates phosphoinositide phospholipase C and/or inhibits the phosphatases implicated in dephosphorylation of inositol phosphates.