Effect of paracetamol on the storage cells of Hypsibius exemplaris—ultrastructural analysis

Abstract

Abstract Tardigrades in their natural environment are exposed to various environmental toxicants, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or antipyretics such as paracetamol. This drug can enter the animal’s body through the body wall or the digestive system with food and can affect the biology of organisms. In this paper, we report for the first time the effects of paracetamol on tardigrade storage cells. We analyzed the effects of short-term (7 days) and long-term (28 days) exposure of Hypsibius exemplaris storage cells to three paracetamol concentrations (0.2 µgxL−1, 230 µgxL−1, 1 mgxL−1). Our results showed that increasing paracetamol concentration and incubation time increases the number of damaged mitochondria in storage cells, and autophagy is activated and intensified. Moreover, the relocation of some organelles and cell deformation may indicate cytoskeleton damage.