The Guinea Pig as an Animal Model for a-mannosidosis.

CHOLICH, LUCIANA; GIMENO EDUARDO J.; TEIBLER GLADYS P; JORGE NELLY; ACOSTA DEPEREZ OFELIA C

João Pessoa

Simposio; 8th ISOPP8 (International Symposium in Poisonous Plants).; 2009

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande Joao Pessoa

The intoxication by Ipomoea carnea spp. fistulosa occurs in ruminants and produce lysosomal storage disease characterized by cytoplasmic vacuolation, mainly in neurons. Swainsonine and calystegines B1, B2 and C1 were the isolated toxic principles I. carnea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible toxic effects induced by Ipomoea carnea intoxication in laboratory guinea pigs, and propose a new experimental model for the reproduction of plant induced neuronal storage disorders.   Leaves of the plant were dried at 37ºC up to constant weight and milled. They were mixed homogeneously with commercial guinea pig pellets, previously hydrated with water for the making of “small balls”. A mixture pellets-dry leaves in proportion 50:50 were administered during 45 days. Hirsutism, progressively emaciated and body weigth gain was lower in the animals poisoned. Samples of liver, pancreas, kidney, cerebellum and brain were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin at room temperature, embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 5 µm thickness, stained with hematoxylin and eosin and lectin histochemistry.   Cytoplasmic vacuoles were found in pancreas, liver, renal cells and neurons of deep cerebellar nuclei. The stored material reacted to the following lectins:  Con-A (Concanavalia ensiformis), WGA (Triticum vulgaris) and LCA (Lens culinary) in all tissues. Moreover, the vacuoles in neurons were also stained by sWGA (succinylated Triticum vulgaris).   These results are coincident with the lectin histochemistry staining pattern of the vacuoles described for ruminant and also indicate that they contain N-glycosidically bound oligosaccharides. We conclude that Ipomoea carnea spp. fistulosa induces a glycoprotein storage disease in guinea pigs, which makes it a valuable animal model and could be an easier and practical alternative model.