[Immune response induced by phosphofructokinase from E. histolytica in hamsters]

The enzymatic activity of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) dependent phosphofructokinase became manifest in the supernatant obtained by centrifugation in a homogenate of E. histolytica strain HMI-IMSS at 700,000 g. Partial purification of the enzyme was achieved by column chromatography with Ultrogel AcA-34. Ten protein elution spikes were obtained: five showed enzymatic activity. Elution spikes I and II attained the highest values of specific enzymatic activity 6.45 and 6.98 U/mg of protein, respectively. Next were spikes X and III with similar values 2.55 and 2.63 U/mg of protein, and spike IV presented the lowest value of 0.86 U/mg of protein. The five spikes were used to immunize hamsters which were challenged intrahepatically, four weeks later, with 3 x 10(5) trophozoites of E. histolytica. A control group of animals not immunized underwent intrahepatic challenge with the same number of amebae. The proteins with enzymatic activity contained in elution spikes I and II conferred immunologic protection in 100% of the animals, while elution spikes X and III were protective in 50 to 63%, and spike IV gave the lowest value of 37%. It can be assumed that there is an antienzyme antibody responsible for the absence of hepatic abscesses in the immunized hamsters.