2001 · Benchimol — Hydrogenosome morphological variation induced by fibronectin and other drugs in Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus.
Super-Abstract
Hydrogenosomes — organelles in anaerobic protozoa that produce molecular hydrogen — show remarkable morphological plasticity when exposed to fibronectin, hydroxyurea, or cytochalasin B. This in-vitro study in the parasitic protozoa Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus reveals that hydrogenosomes can dramatically alter their size and shape in response to stress, suggesting a compensatory adaptation mechanism. (Parasitology Research, 2001.)
Commentary
This work by Benchimol focuses on the structural biology of hydrogenosomes — the organelles responsible for molecular hydrogen production in parasitic protozoa such as Trichomonas. The study demonstrates that these organelles are not static spherical structures but exhibit considerable morphological flexibility under chemical stress. Giant forms, internal membranes, ribosome-like particles, and unusual non-spherical shapes all appear. This is basic cell biology research on parasites, with no connection to therapeutic H₂ use. The „hydrogen“ connection is limited to the fact that these organelles naturally produce H₂ as part of anaerobic energy metabolism.
Key quotes
- „The hydrogenosome is a spherical organelle, found in some anaerobic protozoa, which participates in ATP and molecular hydrogen formation.“ — definition: hydrogenosomes produce both ATP and molecular H₂
- „under experimental conditions, the hydrogenosome presents a high diversity in size and shape, suggesting a mechanism that seems to compensate for the stress provoked by drugs.“ — main finding: morphological plasticity as stress response
- „The main alterations observed in hydrogenosomes were: (1) formation of giant hydrogenosomes, (2) presence of internal membranes, (3) increased diversity of non-spherical forms.“ — catalogue of structural changes observed under chemical stress
Our assessment
This is a basic cell biology study on parasitic protozoa — it is not a therapeutic study and contains no findings relevant to human health or H₂ medicine. The „hydrogen“ connection is purely biological: these parasites happen to produce H₂ in their hydrogenosomes. The study is methodologically sound ultrastructural work. Readers interested in the therapeutic effects of molecular hydrogen in humans will find no clinically applicable information here.
Study design
- Type: in-vitro ultrastructural study · Model: Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus (parasitic protozoa) · Treatments: fibronectin-mediated endocytosis, 4 mM hydroxyurea (15 h), 10 µg/ml cytochalasin B
- Result: all three treatments induced striking hydrogenosome morphological changes: giant forms, internal membranes, non-spherical shapes, vesicular sub-compartments, peripheral vesicle enlargement — interpreted as a stress-compensatory mechanism
Abstract
The hydrogenosome is a spherical organelle, found in some anaerobic protozoa, which participates in ATP and molecular hydrogen formation. The morphological alterations in hydrogenosomes induced by fibronectin, hydroxyurea and cytochalasin B in Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus are presented. We demonstrate that, under experimental conditions, the hydrogenosome presents a high diversity in size and shape, suggesting a mechanism that seems to compensate for the stress provoked by drugs. The following experimental procedures were used: (1) fibronectin-mediated endocytic activity, (2) 4 mM hydroxyurea for 15 h, and (3) 10 microg cytochalasin B/ml in the culture medium. The main alterations observed in hydrogenosomes were: (1) formation of giant hydrogenosomes, (2) presence of internal membranes, (3) increased diversity of non-spherical forms, some of them bizarre, (4) presence of sub-compartments in the matrix, as vesicles, (5) presence of ribosome-like particles on the outer hydrogenosomal membrane, (6) enlargement of the peripheral vesicle, and (7) continuity with membrane profiles.
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