Morphometric changes associated with sex and development in the Malpighian tubules of Aedes aegypti

The Malpighian tubules of Aedes aegypti showed significant differences in their diameters between male and female larvae, male and female pupae, male larvae and male adults and male pupae and male adults. in every case, female values were greater than in males. Measurements of mean nuclear areas of the principal and stellate cells from Malpighian tubules, taken in males and females during development, showed that this parameter in both types of cell was significantly greater in females than in male larvae, pupae and adult stages. In males, significant differences between developmental stages were observed only in comparison with the nuclear area of larvae and adults in the principal cells, but in females, every comparison between stages showed significant differences except between pupae and adults in stellate cells. The frequency distribution of nuclear area values, in development, for male stellate and principal cells, were mostly concentrated in the first seven classes among the 30 classes considered in every stage, while for females, the frequency dropped drastically in the same classes from larvae to pupae and adults, moving to classes of higher values. Considering the importance of Malpighian tubules in insect physiology, the meaning of the differences detected are discussed on the basis of different metabolic levels, between sexes and developmental stages.

Peroxidase activity in Malpighian tubules of Triatoma infestans Klug

Benzidine and diamino benzidine (DAB) oxidation, typically performed by peroxidases, was demonstrated by light and electron microscopy in peroxisomes, mitochondria and membranous structures which occurred in close contact with urate crystals in Malpighian tubules of nymphs and adults of Triatoma infestans. Peroxisomes were predominantly identified in cells of the distal region of the tubules, which is engaged in excretory mechanisms. DAB oxidation in mitochondria, even in the absence of hydrogen peroxide, may indicate the existence of a mitochondrial peroxidase and possibly a cytochrome c peroxidase. The localization of the extracellular membranous structures appeared restricted to the lumen of the proximal region of the tubules and they were assumed to be remnants of endoplasmic reticulum containing peroxidases.

Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity in Malpighian tubules of Triatoma infestans Klug

Mg2+-dependent ATPases were investigated in Malpighian tubules of the blood-sucking insect, Triatoma infestans, with cytochemical procedures for light and electron microscopy. The aim was to establish patterns of enzyme occurrence in the blood-sucking insect under control rearing conditions for further comparisons with animals subjected to the action of stress factors. Enzyme activity was found in laminated "concretions" present in distal cells, in edges of urate crystals at the lumen of the proximal region of tubules, in the basement membrane of proximal cells, and variously distributed in plasmalemma invaginations of both distal and proximal cells. Presence of ATPases in the "concretions" and urate crystals is presumed to be due to engulfment of other ATPase-containing components during formation of these structures. Cytochemical reactivity in the basement membrane and plasmalemma invaginations is assumed to be involved with active transport of waste molecules from and to hemolymph and differs as a function of the Malpighian tubule region. This paper provides a basic understanding of the enzyme occurrence in the blood sucking insects, and can be used as a pattern for comparative means of the staining patterns among Triatominae species. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Mongolian Gerbil Chromatoid Bodies and Their Correlation with Nucleolar Cycle During Spermatogenesis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Meiosis, spermatogenesis and nucleolar behavior in the seminiferous tubules of Alydidae, Coreidae and Rhopalidae (Heteroptera) species.

We studied the karyotype, spermatogenesis and nucleolar activity at spermatogenesis in five species of Heteropera: Hyalymenus sp and Neomegalotomus pallescens, Alydidae; Catorhintha guttula and Hypselonotus fulvus, Coreidae; and Niesthrea sidae, Rhopalidae. They showed a red (Alydidae) or orange (Coreidae and Rhopalidae) membrane covering the testes, which consisted of seven testicular lobes, except in N. pallescens, which had only five. All the species had m-chromosomes, an X0 sex chromosome system and 10 (Hyalymenus sp, N. pallescens, and N. sidae), 16 (H. fulvus) or 22 (C. guttula) autosomes. Similar to the other species described to date, all these species showed holocentric chromosomes, interstitial chiasmata in most autosomes, and autosomes dividing reductionally in the first meiotic division and equationally in the second, while sex chromosomes, divided equationally and reductionally in the first and second meiotic divisions, respectively. In addition, we observed that the sex chromosome is heteropycnotic at prophase and that heteropycnotic chromosomal material is found in the nuclei at spermatogenesis; variation in size, shape and location of the nucleolar material occurs during spermatogenesis, denoting a variable degree of activity in the different stages.

Bioactive Compounds in Lipid Fractions of Pumpkin (Cucurbita sp) Seeds for Use in Food

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Initiating structural studies of Lys49-PLA2 homologues complexed with an anionic detergent, a fatty acid and a natural lipid

Lys49-Phospholipase A(2) (Lys49-PLA(2) - EC 3.1.1.4) homologues damage membranes by a Ca2+-independent mechanism which does not involve catalytic activity. Both MjTX-II from Bothrops moojeni and BthTX-I from Bothrops jararacussu are dimeric in solution and in the crystalline states, and a model for the Ca2+-independent membrane damaging mechanism has been suggested in which flexibility at the dimer interface region pert-nits quaternary structural transitions between open and closed membrane bound dimer conformations which results in the perturbation of membrane phospholipids and disruption of the bilayer structure [1]. With the aim of gaining insights into the structural determinants involved in protein/lipid association, we report here the crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the (i) MjTX-II/SDS complex at a resolution of 2.78Angstrom, (ii) MjTX-II/STE complex at a resolution of 1.8 Angstrom and (W) BthTX-I/DMPC complex at 2.72Angstrom. These complexes were crystallized by the hanging drop vapour-diffusion technique in (i) HEPES buffer (pH 7.5) 1.8M ammonium sulfate with 2% (w/v) polyethyleneglycol 400, in (ii) 0.6-0.8 M sodium citrate as the precipitant (pH 6.0-6.5) and in (iii) sodium citrate buffer (pH 5.8) and PEG 4000 and 20% isopropanol, respectively. Single crystals of these complexes have been obtained and X-ray diffraction data have been collected at room temperature using a R-AXIS IV imaging plate system and graphite monochromated Cu Kalpha X-ray radiation generated by a Rigaku RU300 rotating anode generator for (i) and (W) and using using a Synchrotron Radiation Source (Laboratorio Nacional de Luz Sincrotron, LNLS, Campinas, Brazil) for (ii).

Salinity influences glutathione S-transferase activity and lipid peroxidation responses in the Crassostrea gigas oyster exposed to diesel oil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

In vitro exposure to fullerene C60 influences redox state and lipid peroxidation in brain and gills from Cyprinus carpio (Cyprinidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The membranotropic activity of N-terminal peptides from the pore-forming proteins sticholysin I and II is modulated by hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions as well as lipid composition

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Labaditin, a cyclic peptide with rich biotechnological potential: preliminary toxicological studies and structural changes in water and lipid membrane environment

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Loading of praziquantel in the crystal lattice of solid lipid nanoparticles Studies by DSC and SAXS

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Nymphal development, lipid content, growth and weight gain of Nezara viridula (L.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) fed on soybean genotypes

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzymes and glutathione levels in human erythrocytes exposed to colloidal iron hydroxide in vitro

The free form of the iron ion is one of the strongest oxidizing agents in the cellular environment. The effect of iron at different concentrations (0, 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 µM Fe3+) on the normal human red blood cell (RBC) antioxidant system was evaluated in vitro by measuring total (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and reductase (GSH-Rd) activities. Membrane lipid peroxidation was assessed by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). The RBC were incubated with colloidal iron hydroxide and phosphate-buffered saline, pH 7.45, at 37oC, for 60 min. For each assay, the results for the control group were: a) GSH = 3.52 ± 0.27 µM/g Hb; b) GSSG = 0.17 ± 0.03 µM/g Hb; c) GSH-Px = 19.60 ± 1.96 IU/g Hb; d) GSH-Rd = 3.13 ± 0.17 IU/g Hb; e) catalase = 394.9 ± 22.8 IU/g Hb; f) SOD = 5981 ± 375 IU/g Hb. The addition of 1 to 100 µM Fe3+ had no effect on the parameters analyzed. No change in TBARS levels was detected at any of the iron concentrations studied. Oxidative stress, measured by GSH kinetics over time, occurs when the RBC are incubated with colloidal iron hydroxide at concentrations higher than 10 µM of Fe3+. Overall, these results show that the intact human RBC is prone to oxidative stress when exposed to Fe3+ and that the RBC has a potent antioxidant system that can minimize the potential damage caused by acute exposure to a colloidal iron hydroxide in vitro.

Long term evaluation of morphometric and ultrastructural changes of testes of alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)