Cumulative biochemical effects of repeated subclinical hydrogen sulfide intoxication in mouse brain

Summary Adult female NMRI mice exposed four times to 100 ppm hydrogen sulfide vapour for 2 h at 4-day intervals showed increasing inhibition of the cerebral cytochrome oxidase activity. Cerebral RNA decreased significantly after the fourth exposure. This change was accompanied by the reduced orotic acid uptake in the RNA fraction. At the same time, 2,3-cyclic nucleotide 3-phosphohydrolase activity used as a marker for glia increased. Acetylcholine esterase activity remained unchanged. The initial exposures also caused an increase in the superoxide dismutase activity and an increase in the glutathione concentration. The latter effects were abolished in the third and fourth exposures. The present data seem to indicate that the biochemical effects of repeated subclinical hydrogen sulfide intoxications are cumulative.