Amphotericin B-Induced Carbohydrate Changes on the Trypanosoma cruzi Surface Membrane |
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| Authors: | ROSA M T HAIDO MANUEL J G ESTEVES ELIANA BARRETO-BERGTER |
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| Institution: | Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Health and Biological Sciences Center, University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and **Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, University Campus, Ilha do Fundao, 21944, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACT Changes in the cell surface carbohydrates of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes induced by Amphotericin B (AmB) were assessed by chemical methods and by agglutination assay employing a panel of highly purified lectins of various sugar specificities, Escherichia coli K12 with mannose-sensitive fimbriae was also used as an agglutination probe. Amphotericin B caused a decrease in the total carbohydrate content of all glycoconjugate fractions isolated. Exposure to AmB strongly affected the mannose/galactose ratio (1:5) in the CHCI3/methanol/H2O soluble fraction. These sugars in 1.4:1 ratio were the major hexose components of control cells. The decrease in the mannose content (48 to 15%) after AmB treatment agrees with the marked decrease in the T. cruzi cell surface receptors for fimbriated E. coli K12. Also, an increase in the galactose content (74%) as compared with control cells (34%) is in agreement with the peanut agglutinin and Euonymus europaeus lectins agglutination results. Differences in the cell surface carbohydrates induced by AmB could be associated with alterations in the membrane structure and organization. |
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| Keywords: | Glycoconjugates lectins |
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