title: Apoptotic cell death of erythrocytes in Xenopus larvae exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.
abstract: Xenopus embryos were exposed to 200 ppb 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) for 5 days from the 2- to 8-cell stage of cleavage to the early larval stage. Larvae that developed generalized edema were collected at 7 days after the end of TCDD exposure for light and electron microscopic studies. Erythrocytes in the peripheral blood of the edematous larvae were examined. Between 0.3 and 33.9% of identifiable erythrocytes of exposed larvae had dilated perinuclear cisternae. Furthermore, some had extremely condensed nuclear chromatin usually coalesced against 1 pole of the nuclear membrane and overall compacted cytoplasm. The erythrocytes showing nuclear condensation were phagocytosed by macrophages. These features are typical of cells undergoing apoptosis. Anemia is 1 symptom of TCDD toxicity in various animal species, including mammals. In this study, we demonstrate that TCDD induces apoptotic cell death in circulating erythrocytes of Xenopus larvae, which may be 1 cause of anemia in this species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osakasayama City, Japan.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mima
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanimura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004905:Erythrocyte Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014981:Xenopus
chemical_list: D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins