Effect of acrylamide toxicity on the ultrastructure of a single cell model Nyctotheroides puytoraci

Abstract

Acrylamide (ACR), a widely used vinyl monomer, is well known as a neurotoxin to both laboratory animals and man. The experiment reported has demonstrated that ACR induces ultrastructural changes in the parasitic ciliate Nyctotheroides puytoraci, after injecting the host Bufo regularis with 1 mg ACR per toad (single dose). After 1 week of ACR injection, alterations in both nuclear and cytoplasmic organelles were observed. An increase in the number of cisternae of the Golgi complex was visualized which may be due to its division and hence activation. Acrylamide also appeared to cause fusion of mitochondria in the treated trophozoites. Thus trophozoites of these specimens showed a decreased number of irregularly shaped mitochondria with dense matrix and indistinct outer and inner membranes. Such changes may be attributed to a disturbance in mitochondrial protein synthesis. Also, rough endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomes increased in number. The basal cell bodies were degenerated at some sites.