Effects of subacute toluene exposure on protein phosphorylation levels in rat frontoparietal and striatal membranes

Effects of subacute toluene exposure (80 p.p.m. toluene in air, 5 + 4 days, 6 h day^-1) were analysed on calcium (Ca²⁺)-and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-induced protein phosphorylation levels in membrane preparations from the frontoparietal cortex and the striatum of the adult male rat. After protein separation by gel electrophoresis, the amount of radioactive phosphate incorporated from adenosine 5'-[γ-³²P] triphosphate, tetra-(ethylammonium) salt ([³²P]ATP) was measured indirectly by autoradiography. The 21 most phosphorylated protein bands were then analysed by computerized image analysis. In the frontoparietal cortex no protein bands were significantly affected after cAMP-induced back phosphorylation, while after Ca²⁺ stimulation there was a decreased incorporation of [³²P]ATP in a 22,000 protein band. In the striatum there was a reduced incorporation of [³²P]ATP in a 26,000 protein band after cAMP-induced back phosphorylation, and in four bands of 20,000, 21,000, 52,000 and 134,000, respectively, after Ca²⁺ stimulation. The reduced incorporation of [³²P]ATP in these proteins indicated increased original phosphorylation levels after toluene exposure. A comparison between the frontoparietal cortex and the striatum showed a selective vulnerability of phosphorylation processes in striatal membrane protein bands. In conclusion, toluene exposure at low doses augments membrane protein phosphorylation levels in the rat forebrain and especially in the striatum, probably leading to changes in information handling and/or metabolic changes.