Paraoxonase 1 (PON1), an antioxidant enzyme closely associated with HDL (high-density lipoproteins), preserves LDL (low-density lipoproteins) against oxidation. Less protection may be therefore supposed by decreased PON1 activity. This study was undertaken to investigate the association of PON1 gene polymorphisms with diabetic angiopathy and to evaluate the relationship of these polymorphisms with PON1 activity. Total of 86 Type 1 (T1DM) and 246 Type 2 (T2DM) diabetic patients together with 110 healthy subjects were examined. DNA isolated from leukocytes was amplified with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction enzyme digestion. The products were analyzed for L55M and Q192R polymorphisms in coding region and for –107 C/T and –907 G/C in promotor sequence of PON1. Serum enzyme activity was measured spectrophotometrically. Significant differences were found between T1DM or T2DM and control persons in L55M polymorphism (allele M more frequent in T1DM and T2DM vs. controls, p<0.05) and Q192R polymorphism (R allele less frequent in T1DM and T2DM vs. controls, p<0.01) of the PON1 gene. Serum PON1 activity was significantly decreased in T1DM (110±68 nmol/ml/min) and T2DM patients (118±69 nmol/ml/min) compared to the control persons (203±58 nmol/ml/min), both p<0.01. The presence of MM and QQ genotypes was accompanied by lower PON1 activity than of LL and RR genotypes (p<0.05), respectively. Better diabetes control was found in patients with LL than with MM genotypes and similarly in RR genotype than QQ genotype with p<0.05. Significantly different allele frequencies were found in diabetic patients with macroangiopathy than in those without it (M: 0.59 vs. 0.44. R: 0.12 vs. 0.19, p<0.01). The association of PON1 polymorphisms, lower PON1 activity and poorer diabetes control found in patients with macroangiopathy further support the idea of genetic factors contributing to the development of vascular disorders in diabetes., M. Flekač, J. Škrha, K. Zídková, Z, Lacinová, J. Hilgertová., and Obsahuje bibliografii a biblografické odkazy
Srdcovo-cievne ochorenia patria medzi vážne príčiny úmrtia ľudí. Ateroskleróza a oxidačne modifi kované lipoproteíny výraznou mierou prispievajú k patológii týchto ochorení. Významnú úlohu v antiaterogénnych procesoch hrajú HDL- -lipoproteíny a s nimi asociované enzýmy, najmä paraoxonáza. Živočíšne paraoxonázy (PON1, PON2 a PON3) sú rodinou významných hydroláz závislých od Ca2+ a aktívnych voči celému radu rôznych substrátov. Aj keď skutočný fyziologický substrát pre jednotlivé PON sa nepozná, v súčasnosti sa považujú za významné substráty laktóny, niektoré oxidované fosfolipidy, produkty oxidácie kyseliny arachidónovej a dokozahexaénovej ako aj laktóny odvodené od N-acetyl-homoserínu. Všetky PON sa pokladajú za enzýmy s významnou antiaterogénnou aktivitou. Ich aktivity sa stanovujú voči rôznym substrátom, pričom arylesterázová aktivita PON1 sa považuje za smerodatnejší ukazovateľ antiaterogénnej aktivity ako paraoxonázová aktivita PON1. Laktonázová aktivita je pravdepodobne bližšie k fyziologickému substrátu ako paraoxon, či fenylacetát., Cardiovascular diseases (CV) are one of the most important mortal diseases. Atherosclerosis and oxidatively modifi - ed lipoproteins are main risk factors that contribute to the pathology of CV diseases. HDL as well as HDL-associated enzyme paraoxonase play an important role in the antiatherogenic processes. Mammalian paraoxonases (PON1, PON2 and PON3) are a unique family of calcium dependent hydrolases, with enzymatic activity towards a broad range of substrates. Although PONs physiological substrates have not been identifi ed yet, some studies suggest some lactones, or some specifi c oxidized phospholipids, or products of oxidation of arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid as well as N-acyl-homoserine lactones to be suitable substrates for the enzyme. All three members of the PON family were shown to protect from atherosclerosis development. Their biological activities are determined towards different substrates and arylesterase activity is more decisive indicator of antiatherogenic activity than paraoxonase activity. However structure- -reactivity studies indicate that lactonase activity of PON1 is its native activity., Ďuračková Z., Andrezálová L., and Lit.: 28
Parapedocotylinae, a new subfamily, is proposed to accommodate the gen. n. et sp. n. Parapedocotyle prolatili (Monogenea: Diclidophoridae), a gill parasite of the Pacific sandperch, Prolatilus jugularis (Valenciennes) (Pinguipedidae) from northern Chile (30°56'S; 71°20'W). Among the Diclidophoridae Cerfontaine, 1895, the species of the Pedocotylinae Yamaguti, 1963 are unique by bearing the first pair of clamps (most posteriorly) in a haptoral projection. Pedocotyle MacCallum, 1913, the only genus in the Pedocotylinae, is characterised by the first pair of clamps non-pedunculate, modified and non-functional, without accessory suckers, and clamps of pairs 2-4 being pedunculate and functional. In contrast, the first pair of clamps in Parapedocotyle is well developed and functional at the terminal end of a long haptoral appendix and having clamp pairs 2-4 pedunculated, modified and apparently not functional. Seminal receptacle is preovarian in Parapedocotyle in opposition to its postovarian position in Pedocotyle. These differences justified the erection of the new subfamily Parapedocotylinae. The new subfamily is also supported by genetic analyses (18S rDNA, 28S rDNA and cox1 sequences) demonstrating that the Pedocotylinae and Parapedocotylinae belong to different clades in the Diclidophoridae.
Ninety-five eels from one marine and three freshwater localities in Iceland were examined for parasites. Twenty species were found, 12 from marine habitat, 12 from freshwater and 4 species were found in both habitats. These are: Eimeria anguillae, Chilodonella hexasticha, Trichodina fultoni, T. jadranica, Myxidium giardi, Myxobolus kotlani, two Zschokkella spp., Derogenes varicus, Deropristis inflata, Diplostomum sp., Plagioporus angulatus, Podocotyle atomon, Anisakis simplex (larva), Eustrongylides sp. (larva), Hysterothylacium aduncum (larva), Raphidascaris acus (larval and adult stages), Bothriocephalus claviceps, Proteocephalus macrocephalus, and a pseudophyllidean larva. Thirteen of these species are new parasite records from Icelandic waters. The component community of marine eels was characterized by low diversity and a high dominance of a single species. Overall, seven species of helminths were observed, up to five different species occurring in an individual fish. The component community of the freshwater eels was species-poor with low diversity and relatively high dominance of single species. A between-sites difference in the freshwater eels was considerable; only Diplostomum sp. was found at more then one sampling site. Similar to previous studies, there is a total replacement of freshwater macroparasite species by marine ones in saline waters. But unlike research abroad in which species richness decreases with higher salinity, the marine eels in Iceland have considerably higher richness than the freshwater ones. The parasite communities of freshwater eels in Iceland are, in general species-poorer, less diverse and having higher Berger Parker (BP) dominance than other eel communities in Europe. Marine eels have on the other hand comparable species richness, are less diverse and with a high BP dominance.
In the present study, we determine the presence of parasites in fish larvae collected from nearshore waters along the northern and central coast of Chile. The parasites were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level based on morphological and molecular analyses. The fish sample was composed of 5 574 fish larvae. Of these, 3% harboured only larval ectoparasitic copepods whereas no endoparasites were found in the 1 141 fish evaluated for this group of parasites. The parasitic copepods collected were initially classified as 'morphotypes' according to differences in morphological characteristics. They were then analysed using molecular techniques based on the 28S and COI genes. Seven morphotypes of parasitic copepods (mostly at chalimus stages) were recognised: two of the morphotypes belonged to Pennellidae Burmeister, 1835, three to Caligidae Burmeister, 1835 and two were not identified. Only five morphotypes of copepods were analysed using molecular sequences, which confirmed the existence of six species: two pennellids of the genus Trifur Wilson, 1917 and two caligids of the genus Caligus Müller, 1785, plus two additional species that were morphologically different from these taxa. The pennellids were present in several fish species, being generally more prevalent than the caligids, in both the central and northern localities of Chile. Multispecies infections in larval fish were infrequent (< 1%). We conclude that fish larvae were rich in parasites, considering that these hosts exhibited small body sizes and were very young. We suggest that fish larvae could play a role, as intermediate hosts, in the life cycle of the parasitic copepods found., Gabriela Muñoz, Mauricio F. Landaeta, Pamela Palacios-Fuentes, Zambra López, María Teresa González., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Southern Africa is considered one of the world's 'hotspots' for the diversity of cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes), with currently 204 reported species. Although numerous literature records and treatises on chondrichthyan fishes are available, a paucity of information exists on the biodiversity of their parasites. Chondrichthyan fishes are parasitised by several groups of protozoan and metazoan organisms that live either permanently or temporarily on and within their hosts. Reports of parasites infecting elasmobranchs and holocephalans in South Africa are sparse and information on most parasitic groups is fragmentary or entirely lacking. Parasitic copepods constitute the best-studied group with currently 70 described species (excluding undescribed species or nomina nuda) from chondrichthyans. Given the large number of chondrichthyan species present in southern Africa, it is expected that only a mere fraction of the parasite diversity has been discovered to date and numerous species await discovery and description. This review summarises information on all groups of parasites of chondrichthyan hosts and demonstrates the current knowledge of chondrichthyan parasites in South Africa. Checklists are provided displaying the host-parasite and parasite-host data known to date., Bjoern C. Schaeffner, Nico J. Smit., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Specimens of the recently established European round goby (Neogobius melanostomus Pallas, 1811) and, tubenose goby (Proterorhinus marmoratus Pallas, 1811) were collected from different locations in the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair, USA and were examined for parasites. Parasites were observed in 76% of the round gobies and 35% of the tubenose gobies. Four species of parasites in the gobies occur in the Black Sea watershed. Two of them have been reported in North America for the first time: Sphaeromyxa sevastopoli Naidenova, 1970 and Ichthyocotylurus pileatus (Rudolphi, 1802). Three parasite species found in the gobies are endemic to North America and were most likely obtained locally.
The parasitic copepod fauna of 182 specimens of Mustelus schmitti Springer from the coast of Mar del Plata, Argentina was investigated. Three species of parasitic copepods were identified: Nessipus orientalis Heller, 1865 from the buccal cavity, Perissopus oblongus (Wilson, 1908) from the edge of pectoral, pelvic, dorsal, anal and caudal fins and in claspers, and Lernaeopoda galei К rayer, 1837 from the base of the pectoral fins. N. orientalis was most common being present the entire year, while P. oblongus and L. galei occurred seasonally with low prevalence and mean intensity. There were differences in the site of infection by these copepods and variations in the relationship between prevalence and mean intensity and host size and seasonality. These parameters were unrelated to host sex. Our data suggest that the structure of this parasite community is a result of a complex of biotic and abiotic factors, such as temperature, spawning and breeding preferences of the host, and overlapping in the distribution of different shark species. This is the first report of N. orientalis in Argentinean waters.
he painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Nymphalinae) is well known for its seasonal long-distance migrations and for its dramatic population fluctuations between years. Although parasitism has occasionally been noted as an important mortality factor for this butterfly, no comprehensive study has quantified and compared its parasitoid complexes in different geographical areas or seasons. In 2009, a year when this butterfly was extraordinarily abundant in the western Palaearctic, we assessed the spatial and temporal variation in larval parasitism in central Morocco (late winter and autumn) and north-east Spain (spring and late summer). The primary parasitoids in the complexes comprised a few relatively specialized koinobionts that are a regular and important mortality factor in the host populations. However, there was a strong seasonal variation in the level of parasitism. In Spain percentage parasitism was more than four times higher in late summer than in spring (77.3% vs. 18%), while in Morocco it was five times higher by the end of winter than in the autumn (66.2% vs. 13.2%). In both regions the build up of parasitoid populations occurred after V. cardui had bred in the same general area over successive generations, and this may represent a selective force favouring seasonal migration to enemy-free space., Constanti Stefanescu ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The horse chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimić, is a species of unknown origin that recently invaded most of Europe, causing serious damage to horse chestnut trees, Aesculus hippocastanum. Parasitism was studied over a period of three years in the region of Plzeň in the Czech Republic. Additional collections were made in Slovakia and Slovenia. The parasitoid complex, dominated by polyphagous idiobiont parasitoids of the family Eulophidae, is similar to that found in other studies in Europe. Minotetrastichus frontalis (Nees) was the most abundant parasitoid found, except in Slovakia where Pediobius saulius (Walker) dominated. One parasitoid species, the eulophid Cirrospilus diallus (Walker) was recorded for the first time from C. ohridella. A new method is proposed to calculate stage-specific and total parasitism rates. Parasitism rates of spinning larvae and pupae were higher than of feeding larvae; however, total parasitism was low. We estimated that between 1% and 17% of moths died from parasitism during the larval and pupal stages whereas the rate of mortality caused by other factors varied from 7% to 62%, depending on the locality, year and generation. The proposed method for calculating total parasitism, based on the integration of stage-specific parasitism rates, which takes into account the mortality not directly attributed to parasitism, is discussed and compared with other methods commonly used in studies on C. ohridella.