Fasciola hepatica: motility response to metabolic inhibitors in vitro

New insights into the nanometer-scaled cell-surface interspace by cell-sensor measurements

The culture of adherent cells on solid surfaces is an established in vitro method, and the adhesion process of a cell is considered as an important trigger for many cellular processes (e.g., polarity and tumor genesis). However, not all of the eliciting biochemical or biophysical reactions are yet understood. Interestingly, there are not much experimental data about the impact that the interspace between an adherent cell and the (solid) substrate has on the cell's behavior. This interspace is mainly built by the basolateral side of epithelial cells and the substrate. This paper gives some new results of non-invasive and non-optical measurements in the interspace. The measurements were made with silicon cell-sensor hybrids. Measurements of acidification, adhesion, and respiration are analyzed in view of the situation in the interspace. The results show that, in general, the release of an ion or molecule on the basolateral side can have much more influence on the biophysical situation than a release of an ion or molecule on the apical side. In particular, the apical acidification (i.e., amount of extruded protons) of, e.g., epithelial tumor cells is several orders of magnitude higher than the basolateral acidification. These experimental results are a simple consequence of the fact that the basolateral volume of the interspace is several orders of magnitudes smaller than the apical volume. These results have the following consequences for the cell adhesion:

Fasciolicides: efficacy, actions, resistance and its management

The modes of action of fasciolicides are described. Closantel and other salicylanilides interfere with energy metabolism by uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation in the fluke. Other fasciolicides are believed to have a metabolic action-halogenated phenols (via uncoupling) and clorsulon (via inhibition of glycolysis)-but direct evidence is lacking. Benzimidazoles (in particular, triclabendazole) bind to fluke tubulin and disrupt microtubule-based processes. Diamphenethide inhibits protein synthesis in the fluke. Other potential drug actions may contribute to overall drug efficacy. In particular, a number of fasciolicides-salicylanilides, phenols, diamphenethide-induce a rapid paralysis of the fluke, so their action may have a neuromuscular basis, although the actions remain ill-defined. Resistance to salicylanilides and triclabendazole has been detected in the field, although drug resistance does not appear to be a major problem yet. Strategies to minimize the development of resistance include the use of synergistic drug combinations, together with the design of integrated management programmes and the search for alternatives to drugs, in particular, vaccines.

The effect of the hydrogen ionophore closantel upon the pharmacology and ultrastructure of the adult liver fluke Fasciola hepatica

The present study describes the effects of the H+ ionophore and anthelmintic closantel upon the in vitro motility and in vivo ultrastructure of the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica. At a concentration of 50 micrograms/ml, closantel caused an initial stimulation, then suppression of activity, which was accompanied by an increase in muscle tone and led to a spastic paralysis within 2 h. The pattern of response was similar at lower concentrations, although the initial stimulation was not always evident, but the onset of paralysis could be reached more quickly. Scanning electron microscopy revealed gross surface damage from 24 h onwards in vivo, in the form of erosion of the anterior and posterior extremities of the fluke and large-scale sloughing of the tegument on both dorsal and ventral surfaces. Tegumental changes prior to sloughing included some swelling of the basal infolds and an apical accumulation of T1 secretory bodies. In the underlying tegumental cells there was reduced secretory activity and the mitochondria were consistently swollen and deformed. Reduced secretory activity was a feature of the gastrodermal cells as well; these cells were characterized by swollen, electron-lucent mitochondria, vesiculated GER cisternae and apical blebbing of packets of cytoplasm. The vitelline follicles became severely disrupted as a result of the breakdown of the nurse cell cytoplasm. The stem and intermediate type 1 (It1) cells rounded up and showed nuclear abnormalities. There did not appear to be a severe disruption of shell protein production in the intermediate vitelline cells, but there was a noticeable absence of glycogen in the mature vitelline cells. The effects of closantel are discussed in relation to its proposed mode of action as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation.