The Common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., suddenly reappeared in developed countries in the past 15 years. The factor contributing to the sudden resurgence of the bed bugs is insecticide resistance. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of reduced cuticular penetration type insecticide resistance in bed bugs. First, we determined and compared the lethal dosage (LD50) of a pyrethroid insecticide using topical and injection application. The resistant strain not only had significantly greater resistance ratios, but also demonstrated significantly greater penetration resistance ratios. This provided the evidence of the reduced cuticular penetration in bed bugs. Second, we determined the levels of gene transcription (CPR-type cuticle protein genes) using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). We identified 62 putative bed bug cuticle protein-encoding contigs based on the presence of the Chitin-binding 4 (CB4) domain. Based on the qRT-PCR analysis of the mRNAs, we found many of the genes were up-regulated in the resistant strain suggesting thickening of the cuticle or increasing the cuticular proteins might be involved in the reduced cuticular penetration. Third, we identified and described the cuticular proteins using the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight/time-of-flight (TOF/TOF) high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF). The total of 265 peptides were identified, among which 206 belonged to one of 50 confidently identified proteins. We identified the CPRL, CPF, CPFL, TWDL, and CPAP1 family proteins. The profile of the cuticular proteins between the resistant and the susceptible strains bed bugs were almost identical. Fourth, we determined and compared the cuticular thickness using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). We found statistical differences of the cuticular thickness among different strains (populations), however, correlation between the levels of insecticide resistance and cuticular thickness were not found. Finally, we identified and described bed bug cuticular hydrocarbon profiles using Gas-Chromatography and Mass-Spectrometry (GC-MS). The total of 87 compounds in addition to n-alkanes were extracted and identified. There were no correlation found with the concentration and the levels of insecticide resistance. However, several additional compounds exhibited the correlation between the concentration of the compounds and the levels of insecticide resistance. Overall, we found three lines of evidence to support reduced cuticular penetration as a mechanism of insecticide resistance in some bed bug populations. This study provides additional evidence of the reduced cuticular penetration type resistance in bed bugs. / Ph. D.

Botulinum toxin type A (BTTA) is a polypeptide with 1296 amino acids and its used in some pathologies like hyperhidrosis and migraine, but the cosmetic area is the most important application. BTTA is produced from broth-culture synthesized by the Clostridium botulinum as a single peptide with 150 kDa. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) method was developed and validated for the assessment of botulinum toxin type A in biopharmaceutical formulations. A RP-LC method was carried out on a Zorbax 300 SB C18 column (150 mm x 4.6 mm i.d.), maintained at 45 ºC. The mobile phase A consisted of 0.05 M sodium sulphate buffer, pH 2.8, and the mobile phase B was acetonitrile, run isocratically at flow rate 0.3 mL/min. Cromatographic separation was obtained with retention time of 11.4 min, and was linear over the concentration range of 0.2-100 IU/mL (r2 = 0.9999) with photodiode array (PDA) detection at 214 nm. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.04 and 0.16 IU/mL, respectively. Specificity was established in degradation studies, which also showed that there was no interference of the excipients. Equally, the accuracy was 100.31% with bias lower than 0.80%. The method was correlated with in vivo and in vitro bioassays. Moreover, the in vitro cytotoxicity test of related proteins and higher molecular weight forms showed significant differences (p <0.05) compared to intact molecule. The validated methods were applied for the determination of BTTA in biopharmaceutical-derived products, giving mean values of the estimated content/potencies 1.16% lower compared to the in vivo bioassay. It is concluded that represents a contribution to establish new alternatives to monitor stability, quality control and thereby assure efficacy of the biotechnology-derived product. / A toxina botulínica tipo A (BTTA) é um polipeptídio constituído de 1296 aminoácidos e é recomendada para patologias, como hiperhidrose e enxaqueca, mas é especialmente usada como cosmético. A toxina botulínica é produzida através do processo de fermentação bacteriana e após sucessivas etapas de purificação resulta em uma proteína com 150 kDa responsável pelo seu efeito biológico. No presente trabalho foi desenvolvido e validado método por cromatografia líquida em fase reversa (CL-FR) para a avaliação de potência de BTTA em formulações de produtos biofarmacêuticos. No método foi utilizada coluna Zorbax 300 SB C18 (150 mm x 4,6 mm d.i.), mantida a 45 ºC. A fase móvel A foi constituída por tampão sulfato de sódio 0,05 M, pH 2,8, e a fase móvel B por acetonitrila, eluídas em vazão isocrática de 0,3 mL/min. O método utilizou detector de arranjo de diodos (DAD) a 214 nm. A separação cromatográfica foi obtida em 11,4 min, sendo linear na faixa de concentração de 0,2-100 UI/mL (r2 = 0,9999). Os limites de detecção e quantificação foram 0,04 e 0,16 UI/mL, respectivamente. A especificidade foi avaliada em estudos de degradação, que também demonstraram que não houve interferência dos excipientes. A exatidão foi 100,31 com bias inferior a 0,80. O método validado foi correlacionado com bioensaios in vivo e in vitro. Além disso, realizou-se o teste de citotoxicidade in vitro das formas degradadas, as quais apresentaram diferença significativa em relação a forma intacta (p <0,05). O método proposto foi aplicado para avaliação da potência de BTTA em formulações biofarmacêuticas, e os resultados foram comparados com o bioensaio in vivo, observando-se diferença das médias de teor/potência de 1,16% inferior para o método cromatográfico. Contribuíu-se assim para estabelecer procedimentos que aprimoram a caracterização ou o controle da qualidade, garantindo a segurança e eficácia do produto biotecnológico.

L’abeille fait partie des organismes non-cibles pour lesquels le risque présenté par les pesticides est évalué avant leur mise sur le marché. Actuellement, la procédure d’évaluation du risque chez l’abeille est remise en cause, notamment à cause du décalage qui existe avec l’état des connaissances scientifiques. Ce travail se focalise sur le cas précis de l’exposition des abeilles aux pesticides lors de pulvérisations. Le but étant d’identifier les points d’amélioration et de proposer des alternatives pertinentes à la procédure actuelle régissant l’homologation des produits phytopharmaceutiques.Tout d’abord, nous avons pu montrer qu’une grande variabilité de la DL50 pouvait exister en fonction des pesticides. Ceci nous a amené à proposer l’utilisation d’une nouvelle valeur toxicologique critique plus protectrice (BMD5). Dans un deuxième temps, c’est l’exposition des abeilles aux pesticides pulvérisés qui nous a intéressés. La surface d’exposition d’une abeille a été déterminée, permettant ainsi le calcul d’une dose d’exposition par individu sur la base des doses par hectare. Puis, le cas particulier d’une exposition aux pesticides via les ailes a été étudié révélant sa potentielle importance dans les scénarios d’exposition. Enfin, nous avons montré que l’abeille métabolise rapidement les pesticides contrairement à ce que le séquençage de son génome peut laisser penser.Ce travail apporte de nouveaux éclairages concernant l’évaluation du risque présenté par les pesticides chez l’abeille et souligne l’importance d’une évaluation pertinente à la fois de la toxicité des pesticides et de l’exposition pour l’établissement de rapports de risque pertinents. / The honey bee is both an animal of production and a polylectic pollinator. It is partly because of this double status that the honey bee is one of the non-target organisms for which the effects of pesticides are evaluated before they are placed on market. Today, the procedure of risk assessment in the honey bee is reconsidered, in particular because of the gap that exists with the scientific knowledgeThis work is focused on the special case of exposure of the honey bee subjected to pesticide sprays. The intended aim is to identify points that can be improved and to propose relevant alternatives to the current registration procedure of plant protection products. First, we showed that a great variability of the DL50 exists according to pesticides. This led us to propose the use of a more protective critical toxicicty value as reference (BMD5). Second, we were interested in the exposure to pesticides when the honeybee is subjected to pesticide sprays. The exposure surface area of a bee was determined allowing the calculation of an individual dose of exposure on the basis of field rates (g/ha). Then, we focused on the specific case of an exposure to pesticides through the wings and reveal its potential importance in the exposure assessment. Finally, we showed that the honey bee has a fast pesicide metabolism contrary to what the sequencing of its genome can let think. This work provides new insights concerning the pesticide risk assessment in honey bees and highlights the importance to perform a relevant assessment of the pesticide toxicity and exposure for the calculation of pertinent the hazard quotients.

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Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:29:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelo de sousa Vieira.pdf: 1862129 bytes, checksum: 7cc8be40ceb11c75c5ec56b362ffec29 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-04-14 / The animal replacement in expirements has been very encouraged by government and other institutions. However, in drugs development the animal replacement is not yet a reality, like at oral acute systemic tests. The validation of in vitro protocols is necessary for data generation with reproducibility, repetability and accuracy. In this study was validated at the Laboratório de Farmacologia e Toxicologia Celular- Faculdade de Farmácia/Universidade Federal de Goiás the protocol already validated by three laboratories (two in the USA and one at United Kingdom) and coordinated by ICCVAM: In Vitro Cytotoxicity Methods for Estimating Starting Doses for Acute Systemic Toxicity Tests, using the neutral red uptake in BAL/c 3T3-A31 cell line. It was used the grandisine, a lignan, and its major metabolite taken by fungi biodegradation. Our research group has identified a potential anti-tumoral action of grandisine, data not yet published. After in house validation we estimated the LD50 of grandisin and 4-O-demethylgrandisin: 617.72 mg/kg and 429.95 mg/kg, respectively. Both were classified under the GSH category 4. / A substituição ou redução do uso de animais em experimentos para a avaliação de toxicidade tem sido bastante encorajada e tem recebido grandes incentivos, inclusive financeiros, governamentais e institucionais. No entanto, a substituição completa da maioria dos testes mandatórios por agências reguladoras do setor ainda não é realidade, a exemplo, o teste de toxicidade oral aguda sistêmica. Neste contexto, se aplica a validação de testes in vitro para estimar dados in vivo. No presente trabalho, realizamos a validação in house do protocolo internacional e multilaboratorial recomendado pelo Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM): Utilização da Citotoxicidade In Vitro na Estimativa de Doses Iniciais para Testes de Toxicidade Oral Aguda Sistêmica. Para tal, utilizamos o método de captação do corante vermelho neutro e a linhagem celular fibroblástica de camundongos BALB/c 3T3-A31. Dentre as substâncias recomendadas pelo ICCVAM para a validação do método foram investigadas 9 substâncias. A metabolização de produtos pelo organismo vivo é uma grande limitação dos testes in vitro. Utilizamos a grandisina, um tipo de ligana com grande potencial antitumoral e seu metabólito majoritário como substâncias modelos. Com utilização do metabólito conseguimos transpor esta barreira dos testes in vitro. Os resultados demonstraram que os dados obtidos estão em consonância com os dados da literatura sendo possível classificar ambas as substâncias na categoria GHS 4: grandisina e 4-Odemetilgrandisina: 617,72 mg/kg and 429,95 mg/kg, respectivamente.