Increased binding of [3H] colchicine to visual cortex proteins of dark-reared rats on first exposure to light

The binding of [3H] colchicine (or a functionally similar metabolite) to acid-insoluble material in vivo was measured in the motor and visual cortices of littermate rats which were either dark-reared (D), exposed to light for 3 h or 24 h (L), or raised normally (N) in 12 h light/12 h dark animal house conditions. Significant differences were found in the binding in the motor cortex of the 3 h or 24 h L, D or N animals, but in the visual cortex after 3 h of light exposure a 23% elevation in binding was measured in L compared with D animals and a small though non-significant (10%) increase in binding was also observed in this region in L compared with N animals. After 24 h of light exposure, binding of the label in the L animals fell near to that of the N and D animals. The results of vinblastine precipitation experiments suggested that much of the radioactivity was bound to the protein tubulin, and this was confirmed when no increased binding of an analogue of colchicine, lumi-colchicine, was observed after 3 h of light exposure in L compared with D animals. It is suggested that these experiments show that colchicine can be used as a marker for changes in the tubulin population in light exposed animals, and demonstrate the transient nature of the increase in tubulin quantity, as opposed to a lasting effect on its synthesis. Further, they argue strongly in support of the idea that a component of protein flow from neuronal cell body to axons and dendrites in light exposed animals, is subject to environmental modification. (author)