Biochemical and physiological investigations into the delayed toxicity produced by O,O,S-trimethyl phosphorothioate in rats

Oral administration of O,O,S-trimethyl phosphorothioate (OOS), an impurity in several technical organophosphorus insecticides, causes delayed toxicity in rats with death occurring up to 28 days after the treatment. The oral LD₅₀ was determined to be 60 mg/kg. The effect of a single nonlethal dose of OOS (20 mg/kg) on in vivo protein synthesis in different organs was determined by measurement of the incorporation of ¹⁴C]leucine at 6 hr to 28 days after treatment. As early as 6 hr after OOS treatment the incorporation of ¹⁴C]leucine into the liver, lung, thymus, kidney, and spleen was elevated and remained elevated for up to 7 days. With the exception of the lung, organ weights were significantly decreased during the same time period. On Day 28 after treatment, the amount of ¹⁴C]leucine incorporation had decreased to the control level in all of the organs studied. Treatment with OOS at 20 mg/kg caused a significant increase in hematocrit on Days 3,5, and 7, and as early as 6 hr after treatment at 60 mg/kg. The clinical biochemistry of plasma indicated that there was no significant change from control values in the glutamic pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxalic transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, or alkaline phosphatase activities with the 20 mg/kg dose. The analysis of the intermediary metabolites indicated that the redox state of cytosol was more reduced on Day 5, whereas that of mitochondria was not affected by OOS. Data obtained at selected times after oral administration of a 60 mg/kg dose of OOS and that obtained from animals starved for 3 days are also discussed.