Evaluation of Cold and Thermal Fogging Spraying Methods for Mosquito Control.

The efficacy of three pyrethroid insecticides (lambda-cyhalothrin, deltamethrin, and cyphenothrin) in cold (CF) and thermal fogging (TF) applications against caged adults of Culex pipiens Linnaeus were evaluated under hot-dry conditions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The efficacy of CF and TF at different distances from the release point (15, 30, 45, and 60 m) and height (1 and 2 m) was also investigated by evaluating adult mortality after 24 h of exposure. Our data indicated that TF was more efficacious than CF. While the distance from the spray path did not affect TF efficacy, CF showed decreased efficacy with the increase in distance from the spray path. Deltamethrin efficacy was significantly affected by both the application method and distance from the spray path, whereas lambda-cyhalothrin was only affected by the spray method.

Cytotoxic effects of two antimolting insecticides in mammalian CHO-K1 cells.

Cytotoxicity of two insect growth regulators, diflubenzuron, a benzoylphenylurea derivative that inhibits the synthesis of new chitin in target organisms, and pyriproxyfen, an insect juvenile hormone analogue, were tested on CHO-K1 cultures, using the neutral red incorporation assay. Both compounds displayed cytotoxic effects that rise with time exposure. The presence of either fetal calf serum or bovine serum albumin diminished significantly the cytotoxicity of both compounds, thus pointing to a strong protein binding. In addition, extensive metabolization with rat liver submitochondrial fraction gave rise to metabolites less toxic than the parent compounds, implying the relative safety of both diflubenzuron and pyriproxyfen in mammals.

Changes in glutathione-redox balance induced by hexachlorocyclohexane and lindane in CHO-K1 cells.

1. The basal cytotoxic effect of the organochlorine pesticides hexachlorocyclohexane and lindane on CHO-K1 cultures was assessed at fractions of their lethal doses as determined by the neutral red incorporation (NRI) assay (NRI(6.25), NRI(12.5) and NRI(25)). The sulphur-redox cycle enzymes glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase, and total and oxidized glutathione were evaluated at several points during the standard growth curve of the cultures. 2. After incubation with each compound for 24 h, both glutathione peroxidase and reductase showed a substantial increase at the lowest exposure doses (NRI(6.25))--more significantly for lindane than for 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)--and dropped at higher doses of both compounds. The reduced and oxidized glutathione content was greatly diminished at the lower exposures, whereas the total glutathione content was higher at NRI(12.5) values. 3. Changes in cell membrane integrity were assessed for a wide range of pesticide concentrations with the lactate dehydrogenase release assay and lipid peroxidation. Membrane leakage and peroxide production were significantly enhanced at concentrations of HCH 50 microg ml(-1), although this effect was not significant at lindane concentrations < 200 microg ml(-1). 4. Lipid peroxidation increased with exposure to HCH at concentrations as low as NRI(6.25), whereas in the case of lindane, this increase was only significant at doses of NRI(25) and above.

Alterations of the glutathione-redox balance induced by metals in CHO-K1 cells.

The effects of cadmium (Cd(2+)), mercury (Hg(2+)), lead (Pb(2+)), copper (Cu(2+)) and nickel (Ni(2+)) on the glutathione (GSH)-redox cycle were assessed in CHO-K1 by the neutral red uptake inhibition (NR) assay (NR(6.25), NR(12.5) and NR(25)). Mercury proved to be the most and lead the least toxic of the metals tested. The effects on GSH content and intracellular specific activities of enzymes involved in the GSH-redox balance were measured after a 24-h exposure. Total GSH content increased significantly in cultures exposed to the lowest metal concentration assayed (NR(6.25)), but fell to below control values when exposed to concentrations equivalent to NR(25). Oxidised glutathione content dropped significantly at NR(6.25), while somewhat higher values were obtained for cultures exposed to higher doses. Glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) activities were 1.2-, 1.5-, 1.6-, 2.0- and 2.5-fold higher than untreated controls for cadmium, copper, mercury, nickel and lead, respectively, at concentrations equivalent to NR(6.25). Gpx activity declined at metal concentrations equivalent to NR(12.5) and NR(25). Glutathione reductase activity remained almost unchanged except at low doses of mercury, nickel and lead. Glutathione-S-transferase activity decreased at rising metal concentrations. The results suggest that a homeostatic defence mechanism was activated when cells were exposed to doses equivalent to NR(6.25) while the ability of the cells to respond weakened as the dose increased. A close relationship was also observed between metal cytotoxicity, total GSH content and the dissociation energy of the sulphur-metal bonds. These facts confirm the involvement of antioxidant defence mechanisms in the toxic action of these ions.

Citotoxicidad del fungicida mancozeb en cultivos de CHO-K1 / Cytotoxicity of the fungicide mancozeb on CHOK1 cultures

Se ha determinado la citotoxicidad del fungicida ditiocarbámico mancozeb, en cultivos celulares de ovario de hámster (CHO-K1), usando los bioensayos estandarizados de incorporación de rojo neutro (RN) y del contenido total de proteínas (PT). Las dos técnicas mostraron ser comparables en la determinación del efecto citotóxico, mostrando valores de RN50 menores de 15 mg/ml después de 24 h de exposición al plaguicida. La citotoxicidad fue mayor cuanto mayor fue el tiempo de exposición al mancozeb, en ausencia de suero fetal bovino en el medio de cultivo. La preincubación del mancozeb con diferentes concentraciones de fracción submitocondrial de hígado de rata, originó metabolitos menos tóxicos que el compuesto de origen, lo que indica una cierta protección metabólica proporcionada por la fracción S9. Igualmente, el metabolito final de su degradación, la etilentiourea (ETU) mostró menor citotoxicidad que el compuesto original a los tiempos de exposición cortos (AU)

Cyclodiene organochlorine insecticide-induced alterations in the sulfur-redox cycle in CHO-K1 cells.

The effect of the cyclodiene organochlorine pesticides aldrin, dieldrin and endosulfan was assessed on CHO-K1 cultures at fractions of their lethal doses, determined by the neutral red (NRI) incorporation assay (NRI6.25, NRI12.5 and NRI25). Glutathione peroxidase, reductase and S-transferase, and total and oxidised glutathione were evaluated along the standard growth curve of the cultures. After a 24-h incubation with each insecticide, glutathione peroxidase incurred a large increase, while glutathione reductase and S-transferase activities were slightly higher than untreated controls. Unlike oxidised glutathione, the content of total glutathione declined significantly after exposure to cyclodiene insecticides. Changes in cell membrane integrity were assessed by the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay and lipid peroxidation for a wide range of pesticide concentrations. Membrane leakage and peroxide production were significantly enhanced at concentrations of aldrin and as low as 12.5 microg/ml, whereas dieldrin and endosulfan increased membrane fragility at much higher concentrations.

Alterations on polyamine content and glutathione metabolism induced by different concentrations of paraquat in CHO-K1 cells.

The effect of herbicide paraquat has been assessed on CHO-K1 cultures at different concentrations. Glutathione peroxidase, reductase and S-transferase, as well as total and oxidized glutathione, were evaluated along the standard growth curve of the cultures. Paraquat was then administered during mid-log phase at concentrations that produced a calculated lethality of 6.25%, 12.5% and 25%, using the lysosomal dye assay, neutral red. After 24hr of incubation with paraquat, glutathione peroxidase suffered a large dose-response increase, unlike glutathione reductase and S-transferase, the activities of which were lower than untreated controls. The profile of total glutathione content was similar to that found for glutathione peroxidase, increasing with the administered doses of the herbicide. Polyamine content has been also studied at the same concentrations of paraquat, showing that intracellular spermidine and spermine pools were negatively affected with paraquat in a dose-response manner, unlike putrescine, which maintained elevated pools at the three concentrations assayed.

Effects of cationic diamidines on polyamine metabolism in the trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata.

The effect of a series of five recently synthesized cationic diamidines on cell proliferation and polyamine metabolism was studied on cultures of the model Trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata. Compounds displaying two arylic moieties (CGP039937A and CGP040215A) were ten fold more cytostatic than those displaying only one arylic residue (CGP033829A, CGP035753A and CGP036958A). The depletion of intracellular polyamine, putrescine and spermidine, pools and the effect of these compounds on S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and putrescine uptake suggest the requirement of two arylic groups in their chemical structure to obtain measurable effects on both polyamine metabolism and cell growth.