Peripheral nerve phospholipids in acrylamide neuropathy.

Treatment of cats with acrylamide, either 7.5 or 15 mg/kg IM, once a day for 10 days, resulted in increases of 31 and 47% in the phospholipid content of sciatic nerve, respectively, from a control level of 41.1 +/- 2.7 mg/kg wet weight. Determination of the distribution of individual phospholipids indicated no significant differences between control cats and those receiving a cumulative dose of 150 mg/kg acrylamide. In a separate experiment, cats were treated with the 150 mg/kg dose of acrylamide and the sciatic nerve was divided into proximal and distal portions at the level of the triceps surae nerve. Significant increases in phospholipid content were observed in both the proximal and distal portions of peripheral nerve of the acrylamide-intoxicated cats. This effect was present even when the phospholipid content was expressed in terms of total protein, dry weight or total lipid. Total weight of nerve segments, however, was significantly decreased in the neuropathic animals. The data are consistent with a focal degeneration of axons with relative sparing of phospholipids.