Evaluation of purified horse serum butyrylcholinesterase in rats

Technical Report · Thu May 13 04:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:7300666

Genovese, R F; Lu, X C.M.; Gentry, M K; Larrison, R; Doctor, B P

We examined the effects of purified horse serum butyrylcholinesterasc (BChE) to further investigate its potential use as a prophylaxis therapy against organophosphorus toxicity. Rats were trained to lever-press for food under a variable interval 18 s (VI18) schedule of reinforcement which produced relatively fast and constant response rates throughout daily 30-min sessions. One group received BChE (500 U), IP, prior to the start of 5 sessions over a 15-day period, while a second group received only vehicle. Behavioral performance for both groups was unaffected throughout the period. In rats receiving BChE, blood was sampled before the first injection and approximately 22 hours following each injection. Blood BChE activity increased following injections 1-3 but returned to near control levels following injections 4-5. Increases in IgG and IgM serum antibodies were observed, correlated with the reduction in blood BChE activity, and persisted after BChE injections were terminated. BChE was again administered after 26 days and blood was sampled five hours after injection. Blood BChE activity in rats previously receiving BChE was elevated to the same extent as in rats receiving a first injection, and was more than double the activity observed in rats receiving vehicle alone. These results suggest that purified horse serum BChE may be advantageous as a prophylactic therapy since performance was not disrupted during periods of increased blood-enzyme level. The efficacy of repeated administration, however, may be limited, since increases in blood-enzyme levels were not maintained. Furthermore, although no adverse immunoreactive effects were evident, the observed increases in antibody production merits further investigation.

• Research Organization: Walter Reed Army Inst. of Research, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7300666
• Report Number(s): AD-P-008857/5/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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