Objective: To explore the effects of 2,5-hexandione, the metabolite of n-hexane, on the expression of myelin protein zero (P0) in sciatic nerve and on the positive rate of P0 antibody in serum of rats at different time points.
Methods: Seventy five Wistar rats were divided into five groups and were administrated with 400 mg/kg 2,5-hexanedione per day for 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks respectively. The P0 expression at different time points was determined with immunohischemistry and the P0 antibody in serum were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: With the administration of 2,5-hexandione, the rats gradually showed the signs of peripheral neuropathy. P0 distribution in transverse section of sciatic nerve was different, and the intensity in myelin sheath was higher than that in axon. The expression of P0 in sciatic nerve of rats with 2,5-hexanedione administration for 0 week seemed higher than those of the other time points, and the expression of the P0 showed a decreasing tendency with the time of 2,5-hexanedione administration. The positive rate of P0 antibody in serum of rats administrated with 400 mg/kg 2,5-hexanedione for 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks were 33.3%, 26.7%, 46.7%, 46.7% and 84.6% respectively. The positive rate of Po antibodies in serum of rats showed an increasing tendency with the time of 2,5-hexanedione administration (chi2 = 11.007, P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The P0 in sciatic nerve of rats could be destroyed by 2,5-hexanedione and P0 expression level decreased with the time of 2,5-hexanedione administration. The positive rate of P0 antibody in serum increased with the time of 2,5-hexanedione administration in rats.