Influence of trichloroethylene treatment on phosphoinositides in rat brain.

The effect of oral administration of trichloroethylene, a neurotoxic solvent, on the levels of phosphoinositides in rat brain was studied. Two hours after administration of a single dose of trichloroethylene (1000 mg/kg body wt.), the levels of phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP2) were reduced by 24 and 17%, respectively, without any significant change in that of phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PIP). Twenty hours after treatment, the levels of PI and PIP2 were increased by 22 and 38%, respectively. Repeated administration of the same dose of trichloroethylene for 1 year markedly reduced the levels of PI (52%), PIP (23%) and PIP2 (45%). These results for the first time suggest the involvement of a phosphoinositide messenger system in trichloroethylene neurotoxicity.