Impact of Repeated Nicotine and Alcohol Coexposure on in Vitro and in Vivo Chlorpyrifos Dosimetry and Cholinesterase Inhibition

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an organophosphorus insecticide, and neurotoxicity results from inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by its metabolite, chlorpyrifos-oxon. Routine consumption of alcohol and tobacco modifies metabolic and physiological processes impacting the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of other xenobiotics, including pesticides. This study evaluated the influence of repeated ethanol and nicotine coexposure on in vivo CPF dosimetry and cholinesterase (ChE) response (ChE- includes AChE and/or butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE)). Hepatic microsomes were prepared from groups of naive, ethanol-only (1 g/kg/d, 7 d, po), and ethanol + nicotine (1 mg/kg/d 7 d, sc)-treated rats, and the in vitro metabolism of CPF was evaluated. For in vivo studies, rats were treated with saline or ethanol (1 g/kg/d, po) + nicotine (1 mg/kg/d, sc) in addition to CPF (1 or 5 mg/kg/d, po) for 7 d. The major CPF metabolite, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), in blood and urine and the plasma ChE and brain acetylcholinestera...