Argemone oil induced cellular damage in the reproductive tissues of transgenic Drosophila melanogaster: Protective role of 70 kDa heat shock protein

Abstract

We explored the reproductive toxicity of argemone oil and its principal alkaloid fraction in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ) Bg(9). The toxicity of argemone oil has been attributed to two of its physiologically active benzophenanthridine alkaloids, sanguinarine and dihydrosanguinarine. Freshly eclosed first instar larvae of transgenic Drosophila melanogaster were transferred to different concentrations of argemone oil and its alkaloid fraction contaminated food. Virgin flies that eclosed from the contaminated food were pair-mated to look into the effect on reproduction. The study was further extended by investigating hsp70 expression and tissue damage in larval gonads, genital discs, and reproductive organs of adult fly. Our results showed that argemone oil was more cytotoxic than its principal alkaloid fraction. Moreover, it was the male fly that was more affected compared to its opposite number. The accessory glands of male reproductive system of the fly, which did not express hsp70, exhibited severe damage as evidenced by Trypan blue staining. This prompted us to explore the ultrastructural morphology of the gland, which showed acute signs of necrosis in both the cell types as evident by necrotic nuclei, higher vacuolization, and disorganized endoplasmic reticulum, decrease in the number of Golgi vesicles and disorganized, loosely packed filamentous structures in the lumen of the accessory gland, at the higher concentrations of the adulterant. The study showed the reproductive toxicity of argemone oil and its alkaloid fraction in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster and further confirmed the cytoprotective role of hsp70.

Comet assay: a reliable tool for the assessment of DNA damage in different models

“…Recently, Drosophila has evolved as a model organism in toxicological studies (Mukhopadhyay et al 2003;Nazir et al 2003). D. melanogaster has also been used as an in vivo model for assessment of genotoxicity using Comet assay (Bilbao et al 2002;Mukhopadhyay et al 2004;Siddique et al 2005a, b; Table 1).…”

Detection of DNA Damage in Drosophila and Mouse

“…Drosophila has hence found extensive use as a model organism in various fields including toxicology testing. [33][34][35][36][37][38] Concerns have been raised about the ethics and use of animals for toxicology research and testing, and emphasis now is given to the use of alternatives to mammals in research as well as education. The European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) promotes scientific and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods for reducing, refining or replacing the use of laboratory animals 39,40 and recommends D. melanogaster as an alternative to animal models for testing and research.…”

Heat shock response: hsp70 in environmental monitoring

“…In the said strain of flies, the transformation vector is inserted with a Pelement; the line contains wild type hsp70 sequence up to the lacZ fusion point. Elevated levels of hsp70 expression as a measure of cellular assault has been reported in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ)Bg 9 exposed to organophosphate pesticide, chlorpyrifos [85], nonsystemic phthalimide fungicides [86,87], synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, cypermethrin [88], food adulterant, argemone oil [89,90], and solvent dimethyl sulfoxide [91].…”