Toxicity of bilirubin to Leishmania tropica promastigotes

Interaction of bilirubin with brain capillaries and its toxicity

The interaction of bilirubin with isolated brain capillaries, and the effect of bilirubin on the uptake of 2-deoxyglucose by the capillaries were investigated with 1-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats. The binding of bilirubin to the brain capillaries was observed only at a molar ratio of bilirubin to bovine serum albumin higher than 1.0. An absorption spectrum with a microspectrophotometer of the bilirubin-capillary complex showed a broad absorption maximum from 425 to 440 nm with a shoulder near 490 nm, but no shoulder was observed in the case of the bilirubin emulsion. The bilirubin binding activity was dependent on pH and temperature of the medium, but was not affected by sulfhydryl blocking agents such as p-chloromercuribenzoate and N-ethylmaleimide. Bilirubin saturation kinetics gave an apparent Km for bilirubin of 61.7 microM. Release of bilirubin from the brain capillaries to the medium was observed at 37 degrees C but not at 4 degrees C. The uptake of 2-deoxyglucose by the isolated brain capillaries was inhibited by bilirubin in a noncompetitive manner, giving an apparent Ki for the pigment of 137 microM. These results suggest that bilirubin may be responsible for the decreased 2-deoxyglucose uptake in the brain capillaries by disturbing the membrane structure of the capillary endothelial cells.

Enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in four human species of Leishmania: a comparative survey

The occurrence and levels of activity of various enzymes of carbohydrate catabolism in culture forms (promastigotes) of 4 human species of Leishmania (L. brasiliensis, L. donovani, L. mexicana, and L. tropica) were compared. These organisms possess enzymes of the Embden-Meyerhof pathway but lack lactate dehydrogenase. No evidence could be found for the production of lactic acid by growing cultures and lactic acid could not be detected either in cell-free preparations or after incubation of cell-free extracts with pyruvate and NADH under appropriate conditions. All 4 species possess alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase and alpha-glycerophosphate phosphatase which together could regenerate NAD, thus compensating for the absence of lactate dehydrogenase. The oxidative and nonoxidative reactions of the hexose monophosphate pathway are present in all 4 species. Cell-free extracts have pyruvate dehydrogenase activity which allows the entry of pyruvate into and its subsequent oxidation through the tricarboxylic acid cycle. All enzymes of this cycle, including a thiamine pyrophosphate dependent alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, are present. Both NAD and NADP-linked malate dehydrogenase activities are present. The isocitrate dehydrogenase is NADP specific. There is an active glutamate dehydrogenase which could compete with alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase for the common substrate (alpha-ketoglutarate). Replenishment of C4 acids is accomplished by heterotrophic CO2 fixation catalyzed by pyruvate carboxylase. All 4 species have high levels of NADH oxidase activity. Several enzymes thus far not found in any species of Leishmania have been demonstrated. These are: phosphoglucose isomerase, triose phosphate isomerase, fructose-1, 6-diphosphatase, 3-phosphoglycerate kinase, enolase, alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, alpha-glycerophosphate phosphatase, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, citrate synthase, aconitase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and NADH oxidase.

Specificity of the glucose transport system in Leishmania tropica promastigotes

The glucose transport system in Leishmania tropica promastigotes was characterized by the use of labeled 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG), a nonmetabolizable glucose analog. The uptake system has a Q10 of 2 and a heat of activation of 10.2 kcal/mole. The glucose transport system is subject to competitive inhibition by 2-DOG, glucosamine, N-acetyl glucosamine, mannose, galactose, and fructose which suggests that substitutions in the hexose chain at carbons 2 and 4 do not affect carrier specificity. In contrast, changes at carbon 1 (alpha-methyl-D-glucoside, 1,5-anhydroglucitol) and carbon 3 (3-0-methyl glucose) lead to loss of carrier affinity since these sugars do not compete for the glucose carrier. Sugars that compete with the glucose carrier have one common feature--they all exist in the pyranose form in solution. The carrier for D-glucose does not interact with L-glucose or any of the pentose sugars tested. Uptake of 2-DOG is inhibited by glycerol. This inhibition, however, is noncompetitive; it is evident; therefore, that glucose and glycerol do not compete for the same carrier. Glycerol does not repress the glucose carrier since cells grown in presence of glycerol transport the sugar normally.