The influence of the fatty acid composition of Acholeplasma laidlawii membranes on the growth inhibitory activity of narasin, a polyether ionophorous antibiotic

Influence of monensin on cation influx and Na+ -K+ -ATPase activity of Eimeria tenella sporozoites in vitro

The experiments were conducted to determine intrasporozoite Na+/K+ concentrations (by AAS) and membrane-bound Na+ -K+ -ATPase activity (measured by UV-VIS with a Na+ -K+ -ATPase Detection Kit) of Eimeria tenella sporozoites of the sensitive line (i.e., the parent line, coded as OS) and 2 resistant lines, derived from the parent line (coded as OR125 and OR200), with and without in vitro exposure to monensin. These parameters for OR125 and OR200 were significantly lower than those for OS. In vitro exposure to monensin increased intrasporozoite Na+/K+ concentrations and Na+ -K+ -ATPase activity, but the stimulation on OS was significantly higher than those on OR125 and OR200, indicating that monensin had less effect on resistant parasites. The results of this study suggest that altered biochemical or physiological properties, or both, in the membranes of E. tenella might be related to a reduced sensitivity to monensin.

Experimentally induced monensin-resistant Eimeria tenella and membrane fluidity of sporozoites

Two resistant lines of Eimeria tenella (H) to monensin were developed after 35 passages in chickens medicated with 100-125 ppm or 125-200 ppm monensin in the diet. Drug sensitivity of the induced lines to different level drugs were estimated with mean lesion scores (LS), mean oocyst productions (OP), percentage optimum anticoccidial activity (POAA), reduction of lesion scores (RLS), relative oocyst production (ROP), anticoccidial index (ACI) and global index (GI), respectively. Membrane fluidity of sporozoites of the sensitive line (i.e. the parent line, coded as MON-S((S))) and two resistant lines (coded as MON-R((S))-1 and MON-R((S))-2) with and without in vitro exposure to monensin were determined. Membrane fluidity of MON-R((S))-1 and MON-R((S))-2 were significantly lower than that of MON-S((S)). In vitro exposure to monensin significantly increased membrane fluidity of MON-S((S)), but had a much less effect on those of MON-R((S))-1 and MON-R((S))-2. Sporozoits of the MON-S((S))and MON-R((S))-2 with or without in vitro exposure to monensin were examined by SEM, and the sensitive sporozoites (MON-S((S))) appeared swollen and bulgy after treatment with monensin, while there was no obvious morphological deformation in the resistant sporozoites (MON-R((S))-2). The results suggest that the altered membrane fluidity in the membranes of E. tenella may be related to the decreased sensitivity to monensin.

Ionophore use and toxicosis in cattle

Ionophores comprise a rapidly expanding class of antibiotics produced by filamentous branching bacteria of the order Actinomycetales. The use of ionophores as coccidiostats and growth promotants has resulted in the occurrence of toxicoses in target and nontarget species. Clinical and pathologic effects of ionophore poisoning are caused by bioactivity and damage to excitable tissues such as cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, and the nervous system. Ionophore toxicoses are often related to errors in feed mixing, so the practitioner should give primary importance to the removal of suspect feeds and testing to confirm excessive exposure.

Cytotoxic and cytolytic activity of nonadecafluoro-n-decanoic acid on Acholeplasma laidlawii

We studied the interactions between the perfluorinated fatty acid nonadecafluoro-n-decanoic acid (NDFDA) and the cell wall-less procaryote Acholeplasma laidlawii, which were cultured in an identical medium base but with different serum supplements. When grown in mycoplasma media supplemented with PPLO serum fraction (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Mich.), A. laidlawii was rapidly killed by low concentrations of toxicant (less than 1.0 mM). At higher concentrations (greater than 10 mM), NDFDA treatment appeared to lyse cells. A. laidlawii cells grown in horse serum-supplemented mycoplasma media were both killed and lysed at the same NDFDA concentration (greater than 10 mM). These data suggest that this perfluorinated fatty acid can be cytotoxic and cytolytic to mycoplasmas. Changes in active concentrations occurred in parallel with changes in growth medium serum supplementation, which is known to alter mycoplasma membrane composition. We propose that NDFDA interacts with the membranes of A. laidlawii cells, resulting in cell death or cell lysis or both.

Effect of ionophorous anticoccidials on invasion and development of Eimeria: comparison of sensitive and resistant isolates and correlation with drug uptake

Prophylactic levels of three ionophorous antibiotics, monensin, salinomycin, and lasalocid, were administered to groups of chickens and turkeys. All three ionophores markedly inhibited invasion of cecal tissues by sporozoites of ionophore-sensitive (IS) Eimeria tenella. Monensin and salinomycin also reduced invasion in turkeys by sporozoites of E. adenoeides, but lasalocid only minimally inhibited invasion. Invasion of ceca of monensin-medicated chickens was significantly greater by sporozoites of ionophore-resistant (IR) E. tenella than of the IS isolate. Concomitant experiments showed significant differences in [14C]monensin accumulation among IS and IR isolates of E. tenella. The decreased uptake of monensin by the IR isolates appeared to be accompanied by a decrease in responsiveness to the activity of monensin as well as to two other ionophores, salinomycin and narasin in cell culture. The amount of monensin, salinomycin or narasin required to inhibit development of E. tenella by 50% was 20 to 40 times higher for the IR isolates than for the IS ones. Collectively, the data suggest that differences in ionophore accumulation by IS and IR isolates of E. tenella might reflect differences in membrane chemistry and that these differences are responsible for the expressions of resistance that were observed in these studies. This expression of resistance appears to be common to all ionophores tested.

Eimeria tenella: experimental development of resistance to monensin in the chicken

The development of resistance by the Houghton strain of Eimeria tenella (H) to monensin has been studied by serially passaging the strain in groups of 30 birds, each inoculated with 10(6) oocysts and given 100 p.p.m. of drug in the food. After 16 passages a line partially resistant to this concentration of monensin was produced. Passage of the line in birds medicated with 200 or 300 p.p.m. of monensin did not result in the acquisition of a greater degree of resistance. A further reduction in sensitivity to 100 p.p.m. monensin was obtained, however, when the line was serially passaged in 15 groups of 6 birds each given 3 X 10(6) oocysts. Five passages in the absence of monensin resulted in restoration of sensitivity, suggesting that the resistance developed was not stable. The pathogenic effects of the line that had been passaged in chickens given 300 p.p.m. of monensin were less than those of the parent line.