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Apoptotic cell death in the central nervous system of Bufo arenarum tadpoles induced by cypermethrin

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Abstract

Tadpoles of the toad Bufo arenarum treated with cypermethrin (CY) at concentrations above 39 μg CY/L showed dose-dependent apoptotic cell death in immature cells of the central nervous system as demonstrated by morphometric analysis, the TUNEL method, and DNA fragmentation assay. Light-and electron-microscopic studies showed structural alterations in the intermediate and marginal layers of the brain. Immature cerebral tissue showed cellular shrinkage, nuclear fragmentation and increase of intercellular spaces. In this study we demonstrated high toxicity of CY to larval stages of Bufo arenarum. Our results show that doses lower than those used in routine insecticide applications can cause massive apoptosis in the immature cells of the central nervous system. These results coincide with our previous studies in Physalaemus biligonigerus, confirming the severe toxic effects of CY to the central nervous system of anuran species from Argentina. This may increase the mortality index in wild animals and contribute to the loss of biodiversity in our agroecosystems. We postulate that CY induces apoptosis in central nervous system cells of Bufo arenarum tadpoles by specific neurotoxic mechanisms.

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Abbreviations

APW:

artificial pond water

CY:

cypermethrin

DAPI:

4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

GABA:

γ-aminobutiric acid

hCG:

human chorionic gonadotropin

TUNEL:

terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-fluorescein nick-end labeling

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microscopy Laboratory, School of Engineering-Bioengineering-UNER, Paraná, Entre Ríos

    V. H. Casco, M. F. Izaguirre, L. Marín & M. N. Vergara

  2. National Institute of Limnology (INALI-CONICET), Santo Tomé (Sta. Fe), Argentina

    R. C. Lajmanovich & P. Peltzer

  3. The Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, USA

    A. Peralta Soler

  4. Microscopy Laboratory, School of Engineering – Bioengineering – UNER, CC 47, Suc. 3, 3100, Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina

    V. H. Casco

Authors
  1. V. H. Casco
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  2. M. F. Izaguirre
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  3. L. Marín
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  4. M. N. Vergara
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  5. R. C. Lajmanovich
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  6. P. Peltzer
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  7. A. Peralta Soler
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Correspondence to V. H. Casco.

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Casco, V.H., Izaguirre, M.F., Marín, L. et al. Apoptotic cell death in the central nervous system of Bufo arenarum tadpoles induced by cypermethrin. Cell Biol Toxicol 22, 199–211 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-006-0174-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-006-0174-1

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