Table 1.

Summary of the markers used to analyze apoptotic phenotypes in protozoan parasites upon different death stimuli. Plasmodium falciparum data refer to erythrocyte stages in culture.

Parasite	marker	Death stimulus
Leishmania donovani	PS exposure	novobiocin [22]; miltefosine [23]; respiratory chain inhibitors [32]
	ΔΨm changes	stationary phase [31]; edelfosine [30]
	Cytochrome C release	novobiocin [22]; miltefosine [43]; withaferin A [33]
	Caspase-like activity	stationary phase [31]; amphotericin b [31]; novobiocin [22]; miltefosine [23]; camptothecin [65]; flavonoids [24]
	DNA degradation	stationary phase [31]; novobiocin [22]; miltefosine [23]; respiratory chain inhibitors [32]; H2O2; [62]
Leishmania infantum	PS exposure	heat shock [12]
	ΔΨm changes	edelfosine [30]; heat shock [12]
	Caspase-like activity	edelfosine [30]; heat shock [12]
	DNA degradation	edelfosine [30]; heat shock [12]
Leishmania major	Caspase-like activity	serum deprivation/stationary phase [34]
	DNA degradation	serum deprivation/stationary phase [34]
Leishmania amazonensis	PS exposure	metacyclogenesis [66]
	DNA degradation	nitric oxide (NO) [61]
Leishmania mexicana	Caspase-like activity	serum deprivation/stationary phase [34]
	DNA degradation	serum deprivation/stationary phase [34]
Toxoplasma gondii	Chromatin condensation	sodium nitroprusside (NO) [10]
	DNA degradation	sodium nitroprusside (NO) [10]
	Hypoploid nuclei	sodium nitroprusside (NO) [10]
	PS exposure	intraperitoneal death in vivo in mice [28]
Trypanosoma brucei (s.l.)	PS exposure	high density culture [25]; prostaglandins [26,41]; persistant ER stres [8] quercetin [73]
	ΔΨm changes	prostaglandins [26,41]; modified bovine host defense peptide [40]; persistant ER stres [8]
	Cytochrome C release	expression of proapoptotic Bax protein [44]
	DNA degradation	high density culture [25]; prostaglandins [26,41]; persistant ER stres [8]; lectin ConA [4]; H2O2 [67]
Plasmodium berghei	PS exposure	ookinete stage in vitro [17,29]; nitric oxide in vitro [36]
	ΔΨm changes	ookinete stage in vitro [29]; nitric oxide in vitro [36]
	Caspase-like activity	ookinte stage in vitro and in vivo [17]; ookinte stage in vivo [29]; nitric oxide in vitro [36]
	DNA degradation	ookinete stage in vitro [17,29]
	chromatin condensation	ookinte stage in vitro and in vivo [17]; ookinte stage in vivo [29]; nitric oxide in vitro [36]; L-dopa in vitro [36]
Plasmodium falciparum	ΔΨm changes	chloroquine [14,37]; staurosporine [37]; bilirubin [38];, atovaquone [39]; heat shock [15]
	Caspase-like activity	chloroquine [14,37]; staurosporine [37]; 4-hydroxytamoxifen [37]; bilirubin [38]
	DNA degradation	cholorquine [13,14,37]; etoposide [14]; staurosporine [37]; 4-hydroxytamoxifen [37]
Trichomonas vaginalis	PS exposure	etoposide, doxorubicin [74]
	ΔΨm changes	etoposide, doxorubicin [74]
	DNA degradation	etoposide, doxorubicin [74]
Blastocystis hominis	PS exposure	cytotoxic monoclonal antibody [75]; metronidazole [76]; staurosporine [77]
	ΔΨm changes	cytotoxic monoclonal antibody [78]
	Caspase-like activity	cytotoxic monoclonal antibody [78]
	DNA degradation	cytotoxic monoclonal antibody [79]; metronidazole [76]; staurosporine [77]
	chromatin condensation	staurosporine [77]
Entamoeba histolytica	Morphological changes	G418 [80]
	chromatin condensation	G418 [80]
	DNA degradation	G418 [80]
Giardia lamblia	PS exposure	metronidazole, H2O2; [81]
	DNA degradation	metronidazole, H2O2; [81]