RESUMO
Bisphosphonates have been proposed as pharmacological agents against parasite and cancer cell growth. The effect of these compounds on helminthic cell viability and acellular compartment morphology, however, has not yet been studied. The effects of different types of bisphosphonates, namely etidronate (EHDP), pamidronate (APD), alendronate (ABP), ibandronate (IB) and olpadronate (OPD), and their interaction with amiloride, 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (D3) and proline were evaluated on a cell line derived from bovine Echinococcus granulousus protoscoleces (EGPE) that forms cystic colonies in agarose. The EGPE cell line allowed testing the effect of bisphosphonates alone and in association with other compounds that could modulate calcium apposition/deposition, and were useful in measuring the impact of these compounds on cell growth, cystic colony formation and calcium storage. Decreased cell growth and cystic colony formation were found with EHDP, IB and OPD, and increased calcium storage with EHDP only. Calcium storage in EGPE cells appeared to be sensitive to the effect of amiloride, D3 and proline. Proline decreased calcium storage and increased colony formation. Changes in calcium storage may be associated with degenerative changes of the cysts, as shown in the in vitro colony model and linked to an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) decrease. In conclusion, bisphosphonates could be suitable tempering drugs to treat cestode infections.
Assuntos
Trifosfato de Adenosina/metabolismo , Cálcio/metabolismo , Difosfonatos/farmacologia , Echinococcus granulosus/citologia , Prolina/farmacologia , Animais , Bovinos , Técnicas de Cultura de Células , Linhagem Celular , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Maize and maize products harvested in small fields and stored by farmers in northern Argentina were assayed for Fusarium and fumonisin and beauvericin contamination. Fumonisins were present in six of the 18 samples. The levels of fumonisins ranged from 603 to 1888 ng/kg. Fumonisin B3 (FB3) and beauvericin were not detected in the samples evaluated. Fusarium subglutinans was one of the most prevalent species isolated. Twenty-five strains of F. subglutinans isolated from maize kernels and belonging to Gibberella fujikuroi mating population E were beauvericin-producers in culture. Seven of these strains also produced moniliformin. This is the first report on beauvericin-production by maize isolates of F. subglutinans from Argentina.