title: Biological effects of lithium chloride on the insect trypanosomatid Herpetomonas samuelpessoai.
abstract: Effects of lithium chloride on growth, differentiation and respiration of Herpetomonas samuelpessoai, cultivated in a synthetic medium were studied both at 28 and 37 degrees C. Low concentration of lithium chloride (15 mM) stimulated growth at 37 degrees C. In addition, the protozoon tolerated high concentrations (60-150 mM) of the salt at both incubation temperatures. In general, 15 mM lithium chloride increased and 150 mM decreased oxygen uptake when glucose, glutamic acid and proline were used as substrates. However, at 28 degrees C after incubation for 96 h, the highest concentration increased oxygen uptake in the presence of glucose. Sodium butyrate induced cell differentiation in H. samuelpessoai both at 28 and 37 degrees C. High concentration (150 mM) of lithium chloride inhibited cell differentiation of H. samuelpessoai induced by both controlled growth conditions and butyrate addition. The results obtained are described in this paper.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Pinto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003470:Culture Media; D007313:Insecta; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018021:Lithium Chloride; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D013696:Temperature; D014351:Trypanosomatina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D003470:Culture Media; D008094:Lithium; D018021:Lithium Chloride