Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:55:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:04:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Tese (Doutoramento) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:55:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:04:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / A radiação ionizante vem sendo empregada com sucesso na destoxicação de venenos. Neste trabalho a radiação foi utilizada para verificar os efeitos causados pelos produtos de radiólise da água na crotamina do veneno de Crotalus durissus terrificus. Estes efeitos foram analisados com o uso de algumas substâncias denominadas scavengers, que competem por espécies reativas específicas impedindo-as de agir na molécula. Para estudar, então, os possíveis danos estruturais causados às toxinas foram utilizadas as técnicas de dicroísmo circular, fluorescência, análise de ressonância nuclear magnética, análise de aminoácidos e análise de microscopia intravital. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que a radiação ionizante causa alterações estruturais importante nas estruturas secundárias e terciárias da crotamina. Também foi possível verificar que a toxina depois de irradiada não tem arranjo tridimensional detectável por ressonância nuclear magnética e ainda que o efeito tóxico da molécula é alterado quando a toxina foi irradiada. / Tese (Doutoramento) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Este trabalho realizou importantes avanços na elucidação do potencial das toxinas termo-lábeis do tipo II (LT-IIs) como adjuvantes por via intradérmica e transcutânea. Os dados gerados indicam que LT-IIb e LT-IIc nativas atuam como potentes adjuvantes vacinais por via intradérmica induzindo respostas imunológicas antígeno específicas, como medido pela produção de anticorpos sistêmicos (IgG) e ativação de linfócitos T CD8+ citotóxicos. Soma-se ao potencial adjuvante demonstrado para as LT-IIs por essa via a baixa reatogenicidade das moléculas, com menores níveis de edema e reduzida migração leucocitária para o sítio de inoculação em comparação a LT-I. Os resultados indicam também que o efeito adjuvante das LTs aplicadas por via transcutânea pode estar relacionado à capacidade de ligação ao gangliosídeo GM1 já que a toxina LT-IIb, incapaz de interagir com este receptor, não apresenta efeito adjuvante por essa via. O conjunto de dados apresentados abre perspectivas para o emprego das LT-IIs nativas como adjuvantes parenterais em vacinas para animais e humanos. / This work has made significant advances in the understanding of the potential of type II heat-labile toxins (LT-IIs) as vaccine adjuvants by intradermal and transcutaneous route. The generated data indicate that native forms of LT-IIb and LT-IIc act as potent vaccine adjuvants when intradermally injected inducing antigen-specific immune responses, as measured by the generation of systemic serum antibody (IgG) and activation of cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes. Besides the adjuvant effects, LT-IIs show reduced side effects, measured by the lesser edema formation and reduced leukocytes migration to the site of injection, in comparison to LT-I. The results also indicate that the adjuvant activity of LTs applied transcutaneously may be related to the the ganglioside GM1 binding property since the LT-IIb toxin, unable to interact with this receptor, has no adjuvant effect by this route. The presented data set opens prospects for the employment of native LT-IIs as parenteral adjuvants in vaccines for animals and humans.

As toxinas do envenenamento paralisante por moluscos (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning – PSP) são compostos naturais bioativos conhecidos devido ao consumo acidental de frutos do mar contaminados. Estas moléculas, das quais a mais potente é a saxitoxina (STX), são uma classe de alcalóides neurotóxicos que possuem diferentes análogos e diferentes toxicidades, e são produzidas por algumas cianobactérias e algumas espécies de dinoflagelados do gênero Alexandrium, Gymnodinium e Pyrodinium. As toxinas paralisantes são neurotoxinas solúveis em água que agem sobre células nervosas e musculares através do bloqueio dos canais de sódio dependentes de voltagem, desta maneira, impedindo a condução do sinal no neurônio o que leva a uma paralisia muscular. Em casos graves, pode ocorrer morte por insuficiência respiratória. O envenenamento diarréico por moluscos (Diarrhetic Shelfish Poisoning – DSP) é caracterizado por problemas gastrointestinais com sintomas como diarréia, náusea, vômito, dor de cabeça, calafrios e dores abdominais. DSP é conseqüência do consumo de mariscos contaminados que ingeriram dinoflagelados do gênero Dynophysis e Prorocentrun através de sua alimentação por filtração da água. Contaminação de frutos do mar por toxinas PSP ou DSP coloca-se como sério problema para a indústria pesqueira e para a saúde pública. Neste estudo, estabeleceu-se um programa de monitoração para mexilhões (Perna perna) e para peixes (Sardinella brasiliensis, Anchoviella lepidentostole e Brevoortia aurea) coletados em peixarias e entrepostos de pesca no municípios de Caraguatatuba e São Sebastião, São Paulo. Os extratos para PSP foram preparados de duas maneiras: de acordo com a AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists), através do aquecimento por 5 min de uma mistura de 100 g de tecidos homogeneizados com ácido acético 0,1 N; ou a partir da concentração de extratos etanólicos de músculo + pele dos peixes. Os bioensaios com camundongos para PSP consistem na injeção intraperitonial de 1 mL do extrato ácido em cada um dos três camundongos (~ 20 g). O animal é observado quanto aos sintomas clássicos de PSP e o tempo de morte é anotado e então a toxicidade é determinada (em mouse units, MU) pela tabela de Sommer. Para as toxinas causadoras de DSP, os extratos foram preparados pela extração com acetona do homogeneizado das glândulas digestivas, e a determinação da presença destas toxinas é feita através da injeção intraperitonial em camundongos. Nos bioensaios com os extratos preparados segundo o método da AOAC, não houve casos positivos. Para o bioensaio realizado com extratos etanólicos obtiveram-se resultados positivos para 77,8% dos extratos testados. A média de MU de todas as amostras, neste caso, foi de 0,147 MU/g. Nos bioensaios para DSP, três amostras resultaram em sinais que evidenciam a presença destas toxinas, pois os camundongos injetados apresentaram quadro diarréico. Os extratos etanólicos, com positividade para as toxinas de PSP, foram fracionados usando-se colunas Sep-Pak C18. A primeira eluição, com ácido acético 0,1 M, foi analisada usando-se o método de préderivatização e cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com detecção de fluorescência. As analises em CLAE indicaram a presença de compostos semelhantes às toxinas paralisantes de PSP, confirmando os bioensaios. Portanto, pela primeira vez no Brasil demonstrou-se que as espécies S. brasiliensis, A. lepidentostole e B. aurea são portadoras de toxinas paralisantes, semelhantes às PSP, em pequenas concentrações e que um programa de monitoração é necessário em nosso país para verificação da presença dessas toxinas em organismos que são usados como alimento pela população. / The Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins are well-known natural bioactive compounds due to their accidental consumption in contaminated seafood. These molecules, of which the most potent representative is saxitoxin (STX), are a class of neurotoxic alkaloids, having different isoforms and varied toxicities, that are produced by some cyanobacteria and some species of dinoflagellates from the genus Alexandrium, Gymnodinium and Pyrodinium. PSP toxins are water-soluble neurotoxins that act on nerve and muscle cells by blocking sodium channels voltage-dependent, thus preventing the conductance of neuron signal leading to muscular paralysis. In severe cases, death may result due to respiratory failure. Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) is a gastrointestinal illness with symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, chills and moderate to severe abdominal pain. DSP is usually a consequence of consuming contaminated shellfish that have ingested dinoflagellates of the genera Dinophysis and Prorocentrun through their filter feeding activities. Contamination of seafood by PSP and DSP toxins has posed serious problems to the fisheries industry as well to public health. In this study, was stabilized a monitoring program to shellfish (Perna perna) and finfish (Sardinella brasiliensis, Anchoviella lepidentostole and Brevoortia aurea) collected in fish markets in Caraguatatuba and São Sebastião cities, São Paulo state. The extracts for PSP were prepared by two ways: according to AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists), through the heating for 5 min of blend of 100 g of well mixed sample with 0.1 N HCl; or through of the concentration of ethanolic extracts from finfish’s muscle + skin. The PSP mouse bioassay for PSP toxins involves intraperitonial injection (i.p.) of 1 mL of the acid extract into each of three mice (~ 20 g). The mice were observed for classical PSP symptoms and the time to mouse death was recorded and the toxicity was determinate (in mouse units, MU) from the Sommer’s table. To DSP toxins, the extracts was prepared trough the extraction of digestive glands with acetone, and i.p injection in mice was used to determine the presence of theses toxins. In the mouse bioassay for the extracts prepared by AOAC method no positive results was obtained. For the mouse bioassay with ehtanolic extracts was obtained positive results to 77.8 % of the tested extracts. The media of MU of all samples, in this case, was 0,147 MU/g. To the mouse bioassay for the DSP toxins, three samples gives evidence of presence of the diarrhetic toxins, because the mice showed signal like diarrhea. The ethanolic extracts, that was positive to the PSP toxins, was fractionated by a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge. The first elution, with 0.1 M acetic acid, was analyzed by using prechromatographic oxidation and liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The HPLC analysis indicated the presence of the PSP toxins, confirming the bioassays. Therefore, in the first time in Brazil was demonstrated that the species S. brasiliensis, A. lepidentostole and B. aurea are carriers of toxins like PSP in little concentrations and that a monitoring program is necessary in our country to verify the presence of these toxins in organisms that are used as food by the population.

No description available.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 C68 / Master of Science

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Several genera of cyanobacteria produce a range of toxins. The increased rate of eutrophication of surface fresh waters due to anthropogenic inputs has resulted in more frequent and severe cyanobacterial bloom events. Such bloom events make impoundments unsuitable for recreational use and increase the cost of production of potable water due to the necessity for removal of toxins released from cells during the purification process. Microcystis aeruginosa is the major freshwater bloom-forming toxic cyanobacterium. Concentrations of the hepatotoxin, microcystin, are highly variable in blooms. Published literature on environmental conditions leading to increased microcystin production was often contradictory and in many cases did not consider all relevant parameters. However, environmental nitrogen and phosphorus, temperature and light, and growth rate were implicated in regulation of toxin content. The purpose of this work was therefore to investigate environmental factors (specifically nitrogen and phosphorus) and cellular activities (specifically carbon fixation and nitrogen uptake rates and growth rate) involved in the modulation of microcystin production in M. aeruginosa in order to clarify the role of these parameters, and in an attempt to identify regulatory mechanisms for microcystin production. Environmental nitrogen, phosphorus and growth rate were shown to co-modulate microcystin production in M. aeruginosa. Adequate phosphorus is required for photosynthetic carbon fixation. Phosphorus uptake by M. aeruginosa is strongly correlated with carbon fixation rate. Although microcystin content increased with increasing nitrogen:phosphorus ratios in culture medium, under phosphorus limitation microcystin content was lower irrespective of nitrogen concentrations. This observation and the requirements for fixed carbon for nitrogen assimilation therefore prompted investigation of the effects of cellular carbon fixation and nitrogen uptake in the modulation of microcystin production. Microcystin production was found to be enhanced when nitrogen uptake rate relative to carbon fixation rate was higher than that required for balanced growth. The cellular nitrogen:carbon ratio above which microcystin concentrations increased substantially, corresponded to the Redfield ratio for balanced growth. Investigation of potential regulatory mechanisms involving the cyanobacterial nitrogen regulator, NtcA, yielded putative NtcA binding sites indicative of repression in the microcystin synthetase gene cluster. In culture, the polypeptide synthetase module gene, mcyA, and ntcA were inversely expressed as a function of carbon-fixation:nitrogen-uptake potential. However, no increase or decrease in microcystin production could be linked to either glutamine, glutamate or a-ketoglutarate, metabolites that are involved in regulation of ntcA. The role of NtcA in regulation of microcystin production could therefore not be confirmed. In conclusion, these data suggest that microcystin production is metabolically regulated by cellular C:N balance and specific growth rate. The primary importance of nitrogen and carbon was demonstrated by a simple model where only nitrogen uptake, carbon fixation and growth rate were used to predict microcystin levels. The model also explains results previously described in literature. Similarly, an artificial neural network model was used to show that the carbon fixation dependence on phosphorus allows accurate prediction of microcystin levels based on growth rate and environmental nitrogen and phosphorus. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie genera van sianobakterieë produseer 'n verskeidenheid van toksiene. Die toename in die tempo van eutrofikasie van varswater oppervlaktes as gevolg van antropogeniese insette veroorsaak al hoe meer en al hoe erger sianobakteriële infestasies. Dit veroorsaak probleme vir ontspanninggebruik van hierdie waters en verhoog die koste van produksie van drinkbare water as gevolg van die noodsaak om die toksiene wat deur die selle gedurende die suiweringsproses vrygelaat word te verwyder. Microcystis aeruginosa is die belangrikste varswater bloeisel-vormende toksiese sianobakterium. Die konsentrasie van die hepatotoksien mikrosistien is hoogs varieerbaar in sulke bloeisels. Gepubliseerde literatuur oor die omgewingskondisies wat lei na verhoogde mikrosistienproduksie is dikwels weersprekend en neem in vele gevalle nie al die relevante parameters in ag nie. Desnieteenstaande word omgewingstikstof, fosfor, temperatuur en lig, asook groeisnelheid, geïmpliseer in die regulering van toksieninhoud. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was dus om omgewingsfaktore (spesifiek stikstof en fosfor) en sellulêre aktiwiteite (spesifiek koolstoffiskering en die snelheid van stikstofopname en van groei) betrokke by die modulering van mikrosistienproduksie in M. aeruginosa te ondersoek in 'n poging om die rol van hierdie parameters te verstaan en om regulatoriese meganismes vir mikrosistienproduksie te identifiseer. In hierdie studie is aangetoon dat omgewingstikstof en fosfor sowel as groeisnelheid mikrosistienproduksie in M. aeruginosa ko-moduleer. Genoegsame fosfor word benodig vir fotosintetiese koolstoffiksering. Fosforopname deur M. aeruginosa korreleer sterk met die snelheid van koolstoffiksering. Alhoewel mikrosistieninhoud toegeneem het met 'n toename in die stikstof:fosfor verhouding in die kultuurmedium, was die mikrosistieninhoud onder kondisies van fosforlimitering laer ongeag die stikstofkonsentrasie. Hierdie waarneming, tesame met die noodsaak van gefikseerde koolstof vir stikstofassimilering, het gelei na 'n studie van die effekte van sellulêre koolstoffiksering and stikstofopname op die modulering van mikrosistienproduksie. Dit is gevind dat mikrosistienproduksie verhoog was wanneer die snelheid van stikstofopname relatief tot die snelheid van koolstoffiksering hoër was as die waarde wat benodig word vir gebalanseerde groei. Die sellulêre stikstof:koolstof verhouding waarbo mikrosistienkonsentrasies beduidend verhoog is stem ooreen met die Redfield verhouding vir gebalanseerde groei. 'n Ondersoek na potensiële reguleringsmeganismes waarby die sianobakteriële stikstofreguleerder NtcA betrokke is het gelei na die ontdekking van moontlike NtcA bindingseteis; dit kan dui op die repressie van die mikrosistiensintetase geengroepering. Onder kultuurkondisies is gevind dat die geen vir die polipeptiedsintetase module, mcyA, en ntcA omgekeerd uitgedruk word as 'n funksie van koolstofopname:stikstofopname potensiale. Geen toename of afname in mikrosistienproduksie kon egter gekoppel word aan óf glutamien, óf glutamaat, óf a-ketoglutaraat nie, metaboliete wat betrokke is by die regulering van ntcA. Die rol van NtcA in die regulering van mikrosistienproduksie kon dus nie bevestig word nie. Die gevolgtrekking is dus gemaak dat mikrosistienproduksie metabolies gereguleer word deur die C:N balans en die spesifieke groeisnelheid. Die primêre belang van stikstof en koolstof is gedemonstreer deur 'n eenvoudige model waarin slegs stikstofopname, koolstoffiksering en groeisnelheid gebruik word om mikrosistienvlakke te voorspel. Die model verklaar ook resultate wat tevore in die literatuur beskryf is. Soortgelyk is 'n artifisiële neurale netwerkmodel gebruik om te toon dat die afhanklikheid van koolstoffiksering van fosfor akkurate voorspelling van mikrosistienvlakke gebaseer of groeisnelheid en omgewingstikstof en fosfor moontlik maak.

As cyanobacteria (also known as blue green algae) produce a range of cyclic peptides which are highly toxic, capillary electrophoresis and associated techniques have been investigated to assess their applicability for toxin monitoring in the water bodies of kwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a technique in which charged molecules can be efficiently separated in a buffer solution within a capillary tube under the influence of a strong electric field. Two CE modes, namely capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC) were initially evaluated using a laboratory-built CE instrument. The former mode lacked selectivity due to the similar charge to size ratio of the algal toxins. However, with the latter mode, incorporation of a surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate) into the buffer, produced sufficient resolution between components. Parameters including surfactant concentration, buffer ionic strength, buffer pH and operating voltage were systematically optimized to separate the four algal toxins under investigation (microcystin YR, microcystin LR, microcystin RR and nodularin). The optimum separation conditions were: 30 mM borax, 9 mM sodium dodecyl sulphate, pH 9.18, 30 kV applied voltage, 10 s hydrodynamic injection, 70 cm x 50 Ilm Ld. bare fused silica capillary (LEFF 40 cm) and UV detection at 238 nm. Under these conditions, typical detection limits were in the low ng/IlL range (14.13 ng/IlL for microcystin LR to 29.85 ng/ILL for nodularin). The MECC method was evaluated in terms of migration time precision, efficiency and resolution, peak area and normalised peak area precision. Standard deviation values for retention times acquired using replicate electrokinetic injections ranged from 0.018 to 0.054 and 0.069 to 0.148 for hydrodynamic injections. Normalised peak area precision for replicate hydrodynamic injections were in the range 84 to 97 % RSD, while improved % RSD values of 11.5 to 18.7 were achieved for electrokinetic injections. Due to poor precision resulting from the lack of automation on the laboratory built CE system, poor correlation between increasing concentration and a corresponding change in normalised peak areas were achieved. The MECC method developed was applied to the analysis of an algal scum extract to illustrate the technique. A general problem with CE is that it suffers from poor detection sensitivity. Hence in this study, alternative injection modes, sample concentration strategies and alternative detection techniques were investigated in an attempt to improve detection limits for algal toxins. Using optimized electrokinetic injection conditions, detection limits were five to ten times better than those obtained with hydrodynamic injections. On-line sample concentration methods were partially successful. Field amplified back and forth MECC in which analyte injected in the entire column volume and subsequently focused in a narrow band by manipulating the electric field, resulted in an enormous sensitivity enhancement that ranged from 197 times for microcystin RR to 777 times for microcystin YR when compared to hydrodynamic injections. Field amplified sample stacking (FASI) was ineffective for toxin preconcentration, while electro-extraction produced detection limits ranging from 0.27 ng/J.tL for microcystin YR to 1.08 ng/J.tL for microcystin RR. Solid phase extraction, in which analytes are first trapped and concentrated on HPLC material in a cartridge and then eluted in a more concentrated form for injection, was found to be practical only in the offline mode. A concentration detection limit of less than 0.002 ng/J.tL was obtained. Attempts with on-line solid phase extraction failed due to problems associated with coupling the cartridge with the separation capillary. Finally, laser induced fluorescence (LIF) detection was investigated as an alternative to UV detection. Unfortunately, the algal toxins were not amenable to LIF detection because tagging with the fluorescent moiety, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), was prevented by the stereochemistry of these cyclic peptides. A comparative study between HPLC and MECC revealed that the former displayed poor efficiency peaks and long analysis times for toxin analysis. However HPLC was superior in terms of retention time precision (0.12 to 0.64 % RSD) and area precision (1.78 to 2.86 % RSD). Mass detection limits for MECC (0.0142 to 0.0603 ng) were far superior to those achieved by HPLC (0.55 to 1.025 ng). In addition to HPLC and MECC, a preliminary investigation of micro-high performance liquid chromatography (J.tHPLC) and capillary electrochromatography (CEC) for the analysis of algal toxins was made using 50 J.tm Ld. capillary columns packed in-house, with reverse phase HPLC packing material. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, 1997.

Parabutoporin (PP) and opistoporin 1 (OP1) are cation, a-helical antimicrobial peptides isolated from the southern African scorpion species, Parabuthus schlechteri and Opistophthalmus carinatus, respectively. Along with their antimicrobial action against bacteria and fungi, these peptides show pore-forming properties in the membranes of mammalian cells. Pore-formation and ion selectivity in cardiac myocytes were investigated by measuring the whole cell leak current by means of the patch clamp technique. Pore-formation was observed as the induction of leak currents. Ion selectivity of the pores was indicated by the shift of the reversal potential (E,,,) upon substitution of intra (K' with CS' and CI- with aspartate) and extracellular (Na' with NMDG') ions. Results were compared with the effect of gramicidin A used as a positive control for monovalent cation selective pores. PP and OP I induced a fluctuating leak current and indicate non-selectivity of PP and OP1-induced pores. An osmotic protection assay to determine estimated pore size was performed on the cardiac myocytes. PP and OP1-induced pores had an estimate pore size of 1.38-1.78 nm in diameter. The effect of PP and OP1 on the membrane potential (MP) of a neuroblastoma cell line and cardiac myocytes was investigated. TMRM was used to mark the MP fluorescently and a confocal microscope used to record the data digitally. The resting membrane potential (RMP) of the neuroblastoma cells was calculated at -38.3 f 1.9 mV. PP (0.5 uM) and OP1 (0.5-1 uM) depolarized the entire cell uniformly to a MP of -1 1.9 k 3.9 mV and -9.4 k 1.9 mV, respectively. This occurred after 20-30 min of peptide exposure. In the case of the cardiac myocytes depolarization was induced to -39.7 f 8.4 mV and -32.6 f 5.2 mV by 0.5-1 uM PP and 1.5-2.5 uM OPl, respectively. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Physiology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

This work investigates, for the first time, the Pseudo-nitzschia (PN) dynamics in the western English Channel (L4) and the environmental factors impacting on domoic acid (DA) production in these waters. This is combined with laboratory studies examining key environmental factors and the multifactorial impact of multiple macronutrient and micronutrient availability on PN growth and DA production. An LC-MS method was established, optimised, and compared with ELISA for the accurate and reproducible extraction and determination of particulate and dissolved DA. The method was used to measure the seasonal variation in DA at L4 during 2009 and this was compared to PN seasonal abundance and diversity. Three groups a P. delicatissima-group, a P. seriata-group, and a P. pungens/multiseries-group were identified and were found to have different ecological distributions with the latter two groups significantly correlating with DA concentration. Macronutrients, in combination with other environmental factors, were found to influence PN populations at L4. Multifactorial laboratory culture experiments investigating the availability of nitrate, phosphate, and silicate, confirmed that the interrelatedness of all these nutrients significantly affected the growth, decline, and DA production of P. multiseries, and highlight the importance of both phosphate and silicate availability for DA production. When the impacts of both macronutrient (phosphate and silicate) and micronutrient (iron and copper) availability were investigated, limited growth and DA production was observed in P. multiseries cultures. Results revealed the complexity and interrelationship of factors affecting both PN growth and DA production. Furthermore, molecular methods were developed to elucidate the PN species present from 2009 Lugol’s-preserved L4 samples. DNA was successfully extracted and amplified from these samples which had been stored for up to 2 years. Initial sequence analysis identified the rbcL DNA marker as an informative site for future work with a number of L4 sequences closely relating to different Pseudo-nitzschia spp.