The lysosomal enzymes acid phosphatase and cathepsin D in rats intoxicated with Senna occidentalis seeds.

Chronic administration of Senna occidentalis seeds induces an experimental toxic myopathy characterized by skeletal muscle fibers atrophy, decrease in histochemical activity of cytochrome oxidase, and increase of the acid phosphatase activity in muscle fibres at the light microscopic level. The mechanisms that lead to the increase of this lysosomal enzyme activity are not known and could be related to other biochemical disturbs than the mitochondrial function impairment. The main aim of the present study is to localize the acid phosphatase activity using a cytochemical method at transmission electron microscopy level and to quantify cathepsin D in muscle of rats chronically intoxicated with Senna occidentalis seeds by immunoblotting. Acid phosphatase was observed in lysosomes and over profiles of some organelles apparently not involved by lysosomal membrane. In addition immunoblotting demonstrated a decrease in the content of the precursor and of the mature form of cathepsin D in samples of muscles and liver of intoxicated animals. We concluded that there is a selective increase in acid phosphatase activity in muscle--and maybe in other tissues--of animals intoxicated with Senna occidentalis, that can be related to the skeletal muscle atrophy and the intense decrease in weight gain of these animals. Further studies should be performed to establish the mechanisms of selectivity in increase of lysosomal enzymes in different situations and pathological states.