Neuronal degeneration induced by stereotaxic injection of beta-bungarotoxin into rat brain.

The presynaptic protein neurotoxin beta-bungarotoxin (beta-bgt) caused degeneration of neurons, following stereotaxic administration into rat brain. Focal lesions were induced with as little as 0.1 ng (5 fmol) of beta-bgt; indicating that the toxin is over 10(6) times more potent than kainic acid. More extensive studies in the septo-hippocampal system showed beta-bgt lesions affected both cell bodies and nerve terminals and were not neurotransmitter-specific. The endogenous phospholipase A2 activity of beta-bgt did not simply account for the creation of lesions since an acidic phospholipase A isoenzyme from Vipera russellii was virtually inactive in causing neuronal damage.