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Phospholipid uptake by Plasmodium knowlesi infected erythrocytes
G N Moll1, H J Vial, M L Ancelin
1Department of Biochemistry, CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
FEBS Letters
|May 23, 1988
Summary
Plasmodium knowlesi infected red blood cells readily take up external phospholipids like phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylserine (PS). These lipids are crucial for parasite membrane biogenesis, with uptake enhanced by lipid transfer proteins.
Area of Science:
- * Parasitology
- * Cell Biology
- * Biochemistry
Background:
- * Plasmodium knowlesi infects erythrocytes, altering their properties.
- * Host cell membrane lipids are essential for parasite survival and replication.
- * Understanding lipid uptake mechanisms is crucial for developing anti-parasitic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the uptake mechanisms of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylserine (PS) by Plasmodium knowlesi-infected erythrocytes.
- * To determine if these phospholipids are directly incorporated into parasite membranes or undergo remodeling.
- * To assess the role of lipid transfer proteins in enhancing phospholipid uptake.
Main Methods:
- * Culturing Plasmodium knowlesi-infected erythrocytes.
- * Incubating infected and control erythrocytes with labeled phospholipids (PC, PE, PS).
- * Measuring phospholipid uptake and conversion using radiolabeling and chromatographic techniques.
- * Assessing the effect of lipid transfer proteins on phospholipid uptake.
Main Results:
- * Infected erythrocytes exhibit significant uptake of exogenous PC, PE, and PS, unlike control cells.
- * Uptake of phospholipids by infected cells is enhanced in the presence of lipid transfer proteins.
- * Doubly labeled PC is incorporated without significant remodeling, suggesting direct use for parasite membrane biogenesis.
- * Extracellular PS and PE are transported and utilized by the parasite, being converted into PE and PC, respectively.
- * The rate and extent of these conversions are dependent on the method of phospholipid introduction.
Conclusions:
- * Plasmodium knowlesi-infected erythrocytes actively scavenge external phospholipids for parasite membrane development.
- * Phosphatidylcholine is likely utilized directly, while phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine undergo conversion, highlighting parasite metabolic flexibility.
- * Lipid transfer proteins play a significant role in facilitating the uptake of these essential lipids by the parasite.