Protease activity in brain, nerve, and muscle of hens given neuropathy-inducing organophosphates and a calcium channel blocker.

Activity of calcium-activated neutral protease (CANP or calpain), an enzyme responsible for degradation of axonal and muscle cytoskeletal elements, was determined in brain, sciatic nerve, and gastrocnemius muscle of hens given tri-ortho-tolyl phosphate (TOTP, 360 mg/kg po) or active congener phenyl saligenin phosphate (PSP, 2.5 mg/kg im) with and without a calcium channel blocker which ameliorated clinical signs of organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy (nifedipine 1 mg/kg/day x 5). Calcium channel blocker administration was initiated 1 day prior to administration of organophosphate (OP). OP administration caused an increase in CANP activity in brain within 4 days and in sciatic nerve and gastrocnemius muscle within 2 days of administration. This increase did not occur if nifedipine was administered to PSP-treated hens. Total sciatic nerve calcium concentrations were also increased by PSP, but not until OP-treated hens were no longer being administered calcium blockers. This indicates that calcium channel blockers may contribute to amelioration of organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy by attenuation of calcium-mediated disruption of axonal and muscle cytoskeletal homeostasis.