Dealkylation and loss of capacity for reactivation of cholinesterase inhibited by sarin.

Inhibition of rat brain acetylcholinesterase by (32)P-sarin in vivo results initially in (32)P-isopropylmethylphosphonylated enzyme. The percentage of inhibited enzyme that could not be reactivated by pyridinium aldoxime methochloride (aged enzyme) approximated the amount of radioactivity identified as (32)P-methylphosphonate. The (32)P-isopropyl methylphosphonate not released fromthe inhibited enzyme by the oxime accounted for 51 +/- 10 percent ( standard deviation) of the radioactivity fixed to brain tissue. It showed no correlation with aging and was probably bound to sites other than acetylcholinesterase.