Ultrastructural Changes of the Spinal Cord after Treatment with 6-Aminonicotinamide

6-Aminonicotinamide 투여 후 햄스터 척수의 미세구조 변화

The effects of antimetabolite, 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN), on ultrastrudural changes in the spinal cord of golden hamster were investigated. Intraperitoneal administration of 6-AN (10 mg/kg body weight) every two days gave rise to a marked reduction of about $30\sim40%$ in body weight after $26\sim28$ days ($13\sim14th$ injection). In the lesions of the spinal cord, neuroglial cells such as astrocytes and oligodendrocytes were severely damaged, but neurons and blood vessels were not affected by 6-AN. The myelin sheath was also affected by 6-AN. Vacuoles observed in the lesions were produced by the swelling and degenerating changes of neuropils and neuroglial cells. Numerous swollen mitochondria and cisterns of rough endoplasmic reticulum were observed in the watery cytoplasm of damaged neuroglial cells, but intermediate filaments were well preserved. Especially in the damaged astrocytes, the outer nuclear membrane were partially swollen and formed a halfmoonlike structure. It is suggested that as well as the multivesicular bodies protruding from the swollen dendrites, the conjugation of adjacent vacuoles also participated in the formation of large vacuoles.