Tritium labeling of a powerful methylphosphonate inhibitor of cholinesterase: synthesis and biological applications

Effects of CBDP and MEPQ on the toxicity and distribution of [3H]-soman in mice

Soman poisoning presents a problem in terms of its detailed pathophysiology and its detoxification mechanism(s). The present study was designed to evaluate the role of carboxylesterases (CaE) and cholinesterase (ChE) in the distribution and detoxification of soman in vivo. Mice were injected (i.v.) with 0.06-1.0 LD50 of [3H]-soman, 60 min following pretreatment with either 2-O-cresyl-4H-1:2:3 benzodioxa-phosphorine-2-oxide (CBDP), which blocks CaE or 7-(methylethoxyphosphinyloxy)-1-methyl quinolinium iodide (MEPQ), which selectively inhibits intravascular ChE. One hour after [3']-soman administration animals were sacrificed and whole body autoradiography was performed. High concentrations of [3H]-soman were found in lung and kidney in control mice, and low concentrations were found in central nervous system. Pretreatment with CBDP caused a 93% decrease in radioactive labelling in the lung, and a minor decrease in overall labelling, whereas pretreatment with MEPQ did not change the distribution pattern of [3H]-soman. It is concluded that lung is a major target organ for soman detoxification and that it exerts this effect by means of enzymatic reaction with soman through the abundant amounts of CaE which are present in the lung. Intravascular ChE has little (if any) effect on the distribution and detoxification of soman in vivo.

Acetylcholinesterase prophylaxis against organophosphate poisoning. Quantitative correlation between protection and blood-enzyme level in mice

Fetal bovine serum acetylcholinesterase (FBS-AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) was titrated, both in vitro and in vivo, with a highly toxic anti-ChE organophosphate, 7-(methylethoxyphosphinyloxy)-1-methyl-quinolinium iodie (MEPQ). Approximately 1:1 stoichiometry was obtained for the sequestration of MEPQ by FBS-AChE in mice. A quantitative, linear correlation was demonstrated between blood-AChE levels and the protection afforded by exogenously administered AChE in mice when challenged with anti-ChE MEPQ. The results presented in this report demonstrate that such prophylactic measures are indeed sufficient to protect animals against poisoning by as high as an 8 x LD50 dose of organophosphate without the administration of any supportive drug. Despite the relatively large toxic dose, most of the mice that survived the challenge did not show any classical clinical signs of severe anti-ChE poisoning. MEPQ may be considered a suitable model compound for studying the quantitative aspects of the scavenger prophylactic approach described here.