The interplay between thiol-compounds against chromium (VI) in the freshwater green alga Monoraphidium convolutum: toxicology, photosynthesis, and oxidative stress at a glance.

In this paper, the multifaceted Cr(VI) toxicity over the freshwater green alga Monoraphidium convolutum was assessed by concomitantly monitoring thiol-dependent redox balances, photosynthesis activity and growth-survival scores. Control group showed exponential growth rate at (5.78±0.29) division/day until 8th day with linear increasing chlorophyll a/protein ratios (CHLa/PROT) throughout the period. Cultures of M. convolutum were exposed for 5 days to Cr(VI) concentrations from 0 up to 100mg/L showing that CHLa/PROT ratios were sensibly affected, in agreement to the calculated LC(50,48 h) (5.38±0.72) mg/L from the concentration-response curve of cell mortality after 48 h. Regarding photosynthesis effects, Cr(VI) concentrations >1.0 mg/L showed significant increases in short-term (after 2 h) electron transfer rates (ETR) and quantum yields of photosystem II (Φ(PSII)), followed by subsequent decline of both parameters after 48 and 72 h. Biochemical analyses showed that maximal GSH concentrations in algal cultures were observed upon 1mg Cr(VI)/L and higher dichromate concentrations dramatically increased the activity of antioxidant GSH-dependent enzymes ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase. However, no variation was observed in the cellular GSH levels, whereas GSSG and lipid peroxidation indexes abruptly increased upon 10 mg Cr(VI)/L exposure. Altogether, plant physiology, photosynthesis and biochemical data suggest that the GSH-dependent antioxidant system is capable to sustain M. convolutum viability through efficient photosynthesis activity and adequate antioxidant responses up to Cr(VI) concentrations of 1.0mg/L, when redox unbalances were first evidenced.

Life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi (Y strain) in mice.

Since 1958, we have studied experimental Chagas' disease (CD) by subcutaneous inoculation of 1,000 blood forms of Trypanosoma cruzi (Y strain) in Balb/C. mice. Evolution of parasitemia remained constant, beginning on the 5th and 6th day of the disease, increasing progressively, achieving a maximum on about the 30th day. After another month, only a few forms were present, and they disappeared from the circulation after the third month, as determined from direct examination of slides and the use of a Neubauer Counting Chamber. These events coincided with the appearance of amastigote nests in the tissues (especially the cardiac ones), starting the first week, and following the Gauss parasitemia curve, but they were not in parallel until the chronic stage. In 1997, we began to note the following changes: Parasites appeared in the circulation during the first week and disappeared starting on the 7th day, and there was a coincident absence of the amastigote nests in the tissues. A careful study verified that young forms in the evolutionary cycle of T. cruzi (epi + amastigotes) began to appear alongside the trypomastigotes in the circulation on the 5th and 7th post-inoculation day. At the same time, rounded, oval, and spindle shapes were seen circulating through the capillaries and sinusoids of the tissues, principally of the hematopoietic organs. Stasis occurs because the diameter of the circulating parasites is greater than the vessels, and this makes them more visible. Examination of the sternal bone marrow revealed young cells with elongated forms and others truncated in the shape of a "C" occupying the internal surface of the blood cells that had empty central portions (erythrocytes?). We hypothesize that there could be a loss of virulence or mutation of the Y strain of Trypanosoma cruzi.