Effects of exposition to polluted environments on blood cells of the fish Prochilodus lineatus

In this study, we investigated the effects of contaminated water on the blood parameters of the fish Prochilodus lineatus exposed during 7 and 20 days. Blood was collected with heparinized syringes, and blood smears were prepared and stained with Leishman stain. Slides were examined and photographed using a Leica light microscope. Total white blood cell counts and differential counts of thrombocytes and leukocytes were obtained for statistical analysis. The group exposed to water samples from Lago Azul exhibited an increase in the number of leukocytes and in the total number of white blood cells, suggesting that the chemical contaminants in this environment were acting similarly to antigens in this fish species, causing the proliferation of defense cells. In the group exposed to detergent during 20 days, the number of thrombocytes decreased. These results suggest that the variations in the number of leukocytes were indicators of environmental pollution and that biodegradable detergents may, after a certain time of exposure, affect vital functions in fish, such as coagulation and prevention of infections, which directly involves thrombocytes. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2012. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Interphase Chromosome Flow-FISH

A 2-day method using flow cytometry and FISH for interphase cells was developed to detect monosomy 7 cells in myelodysplastic syndrome patients. The method, Interphase Chromosome Flow-FISH (IC Flow-FISH), involves fixation of leukocytes from blood, membrane permeabilization, hybridization of cellular DNA with peptide nucleic acid probes with cells intact, and analysis by flow cytometry. Hundreds to thousands of monosomy 7 cells were consistently detected from 10-20 mL of blood in patients with monosomy 7. Proportions of monosomy 7 cells detected in IC Flow-FISH were compared with results from conventional cytogenetics; identification of monosomy 7 populations was verified with FACS; and patient and donor cells were mixed to test for sensitivity. IC Flow-FISH allows for detecting monosomy 7 without requiring bone marrow procurement or the necessity of metaphase spreads, and wider applications to other chromosomal abnormalities are in development. (Blood. 2012; 120(15): e54-e59)