Toxic effect of chloromycetin on the ultrastructures of the motor neurons of the Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri)

Abstract

This paper describes the toxic effects of chloromycetin on the motor neurons of the Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) with horse radish peroxidase (HRP) as the labeling enzyme. When chloromycetin was administered orally at 2.5 mg/kg (body weight)/day for 3 days, Chinese tree shrews showed evidence of neurotoxicity. This included damage in cortical motor neuron synapses ending on neurons of the red nucleus and the ultrastructural changes in the mitochondria such as swelling of these organelles and blurring of their cristae. There was an increase of the mitochondrial matrix density and of the thickness of the synaptic membranes. These observations indicate that chloromycetin can lead to ultrastructural change of terminals of the cortical motor axons, and that Chinese tree shrews are sensitive animal model for chloromycetin neurotoxicity.

ExperimentalMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection in the Chinese tree shrew

“…Various significant findings have been obtained in Chinese tree shrew models of reproductive, immunologic and social‐psychological diseases (Yu et al ., ; Keuker et al ., ; Wang et al ., ). This animal is also used for research on diseases caused by viruses, such as hepatitis A/B/C/D (Guitart et al ., ; Zhao et al ., ; Amako et al ., ), HIV and influenza (Zi‐Feng Yang et al ., ), as well as diseases caused by bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Li et al ., ).…”