title: Influence of brain and azadirachtin on Trypanosoma cruzi development in the vector, Rhodnius prolixus.
abstract: Studies on the effects of decapitation, head transplantation, azadirachtin, and ecdysone therapy on the ultrastructural organization of the midgut of Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, show a distinct effect on the organization of the epithelial cells. When insects are decapitated or treated with azadirachtin, the ultrastructural organiza tion of these compartments changed significantly and drastically blocked the development of T. cruzi infection. In converse experiments, head transplantation or oral therapy with ecdysone significantly re versed the T. cruzi infectivity and reestablished the organization of the stomach and intestine in decapitated or azadirachtin-treated insects. These results indicat that a brain factor, possibly the prothoracicotropic hormone which stimulates ecdysteroid production on the prothoracic glands, may act directly or indirectly on both the midgut cell organiza tion and the intestinal microenvironment, interfering in the trypanosome survival and infection of the vector R. prolixus.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Morro do Valonguinho SIN degrees, Niterói, RJ, CEP 24001-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Souza
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Schaub
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Azambuja
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D004440:Ecdysone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036701:Limonins; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012239:Rhodnius / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D036701:Limonins; D014315:Triterpenes; D004440:Ecdysone; C010329:azadirachtin