Effects of neurotoxins on brain creatine kinase activity.

The effects of ethylene oxide (EO), acrylamide, N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (bis-acrylamide), and methyl mercury chloride (MMC) on brain creatine kinase (CK) activity were examined in vivo. EO and acrylamide, both of which cause central-peripheral distal axonopathy, inhibited CK activity in the brain and spinal cord. On the other hand, neither bis-acrylamide, a nonneurotoxic analogue, nor MMC which causes neuronopathy affected brain CK activity significantly. The inhibition of CK may play a role in the pathogenesis of distal axonal degeneration in the central and peripheral nervous systems.