Hydrogen peroxide is the most toxic oxygen species for Onchocerca cervicalis microfilariae

The toxicity of the active oxygen species hydrogen peroxide, superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen to microfilariae (mf) has been studied in vitro, using active oxygen-generating systems and scavengers/inhibitors. Mf viability was monitored by uptake of the radiolabel, [3H]2-deoxy-D-glucose. Hydrogen peroxide and singlet oxygen, but not superoxide radical or hydroxyl radical, are toxic for mf. Hydrogen peroxide was toxic for mf within 2 h at concentrations as low as 5 microM, an amount eosinophils have been shown to release in vitro (Weiss et al. 1986). Catalase and thiourea, but not inactivated catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), singlet oxygen scavengers, or hydroxyl radical scavengers, protected mf. Mf have relatively high levels of endogenous SOD but no measurable glutathione peroxidase and low levels of catalase when compared with other parasites (Callahan, Crouch & James, 1988). The low levels of hydrogen peroxide-scavenging enzymes correlate well with mf sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide and the protective effect of exogenous catalase.