KEYWORDS: Quantum dots, Toxicity, Nanoparticles, In vivo imaging, In vitro testing, Cadmium, Transmission electron microscopy, Control systems, Plasma, Nanocrystals
Many studies have been done in order to verify the possible nanotoxicity of quantum dots in some cellular
types. Protozoan pathogens as Trypanosoma cruzi, etiologic agent of Chagas1 disease is transmitted to
humans either by blood-sucking triatomine vectors, blood transfusion, organs transplantation or congenital
transmission. The study of the life cycle, biochemical, genetics, morphology and others aspects of the T. cruzi
is very important to better understand the interactions with its hosts and the disease evolution on humans.
Quantum dot, nanocrystals, highly luminescent has been used as tool for experiments in in vitro and in vivo T.
cruzi life cycle development in real time. We are now investigating the quantum dots toxicity on T. cruzi
parasite cells using analytical methods. In vitro experiments were been done in order to test the interference of
this nanoparticle on parasite development, morphology and viability (live-death). Ours previous results
demonstrated that 72 hours after parasite incubation with 200 μM of CdTe altered the development of T. cruzi
and induced cell death by necrosis in a rate of 34%. QDs labeling did not effect: (i) on parasite integrity, at
least until 7 days; (ii) parasite cell dividing and (iii) parasite motility at a concentration of 2 μM CdTe. This
fact confirms the low level of cytotoxicity of these QDs on this parasite cell. In summary our results is
showing T. cruzi QDs labeling could be used for in vivo cellular studies in Chagas disease.
In this work we used a methodology to study chemotaxis of Trypanossoma cruzi (T. Cruzi) in real time using an
Optical Tweezers system. Trapped beads were used as a force transducer for measuring forces of the same order of
magnitude as typical forces induced by flagellar motion. Optical Tweezers allowed real time measurements of the force
vectors, strength and direction, of living parasites under chemical or other kinds of gradients. This seems to be the ideal
tool to perform observations of taxis response of cells and microorganisms with high sensitivity to capture instantaneous
responses to a given stimulus. We applied this methodology to investigate the T. cruzi under distinct situations: the
parasite alone and in the presence of its insect-vector Rhodnius prolixus (R. prolixus).
In this work, we propose a methodology to study microorganisms chemotaxis in real time using an Optical
Tweezers system. Optical Tweezers allowed real time measurements of the force vectors, strength and direction, of
living parasites under chemical or other kinds of gradients. This seems to be the ideal tool to perform observations of
taxis response of cells and microorganisms with high sensitivity to capture instantaneous responses to a given stimulus.
Forces involved in the movement of unicellular parasites are very small, in the femto-pico-Newton range, about the same
order of magnitude of the forces generated in an Optical Tweezers. We applied this methodology to investigate the
Leishmania amazonensis (L. amazonensis) and Trypanossoma cruzi (T. cruzi) under distinct situations.
One of the fundamental goals in biology is to understand the interplay between biomolecules of different cells. This
happen, for example, in the first moments of the infection of a vector by a parasite that results in the adherence to the cell
walls. To observe this kind of event we used an integrated Optical Tweezers and Confocal Microscopy tool. This tool
allow us to use the Optical Tweezers to trigger the adhesion of the Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli parasite
to the intestine wall cells and salivary gland of the Rhodnius prolixus vector and to, subsequently observe the sequence
of events by confocal fluorescence microscopy under optical forces stresses. We kept the microorganism and vector cells
alive using CdSe quantum dot staining. Besides the fact that Quantum Dots are bright vital fluorescent markers, the
absence of photobleaching allow us to follow the events in time for an extended period. By zooming to the region of
interested we have been able to acquire confocal images at the 2 to 3 frames per second rate.
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