Tissue culture studies of possible uremic neurotoxins: myoinositol

Organotypic cultures of dorsal root ganglion cells revealed neuronal toxicity when exposed to myoinositol at doses of 1090 to 109 micrometer (500 to 50 microgram/ml). The ultrastructural changes consisted of membranous cytoplasmic bodies at high concentrations and dense bodies at lower concentrations. There were no changes at 0 to 22 micrometer (0 to 10 microgram/ml). This range of neurotoxicity parallels the levels of myoinositol found in the serum of uremic patients. Myelin loss occurred in a pattern suggesting "secondary demyelination," similar to the pattern seen in uremic neuropathy. The relevance as a possible model for uremic neuropathy is discussed.