Single Doses of Acrylamide Reduce Retrograde Transport Velocity

Abstract: Single doses of acrylamide (0–1.3 mmol/kg) produced a dose‐dependent decrease in the transport of ¹²⁵I‐tetanus toxin to the perikarya of sensory neurons in dorsal root ganglia and motor neurons in ventral spinal cord. Acrylamide was a more potent inhibitor of retrograde transport in sensory axons than in motor axons. Substantially greater doses of N,N′‐methylene‐bis‐acryl‐amide, a reportedly non‐neurotoxic analog of acrylamide, were required to alter the axonal transport of ¹²⁵I‐tetanus toxin. Velocity of retrograde transport was assessed by determining the position of the leading edge of transported¹²⁵I‐tetanus toxin at times following single doses of acrylamide. Acrylamide reduced the velocity of ¹²⁵I‐tetanus toxin transport in a dose‐dependent manner by up to 75%. No change in neuronal uptake of ¹²⁵I‐tet‐anus toxin was detected. It is concluded that single doses of acrylamide produce profound alterations in retrograde transport which precede the appearance of structural changes in affected nerve fibers.