spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Nakornchai, S.
Right arrow Articles by Yuthavong, Y.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Nakornchai, S.
Right arrow Articles by Yuthavong, Y.

Journal of Cell Science, Vol 63, Issue 1 147-154, Copyright © 1983 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Mechanism of enhanced fusion capacity of mouse red cells infected with Plasmodium berghei

S Nakornchai, C Sathitudsahakorn, S Chongchirasiri and Y Yuthavong

Plasmodium berghei-infected mouse red cells have enhanced fusion capacity as triggered by addition of poly(ethylene glycol) in the presence of Ca2+. The uptake of Ca2+ in P. berghei-infected cells is greater than in normal cells, and the difference in Ca2+ uptake was found to be enhanced in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol). Fusion of normal and P. berghei-infected red cells by poly(ethylene glycol) was significantly inhibited by N-tosyl-L-lysylchloromethyl ketone and phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride. In addition, ethyleneglycolbis(aminoethylether)tetra-acetate, N-ethylmaleimide, iodoacetamide, cystamine and tetrathionate also prevented fusion in both systems. In contrast, N-tosyl-L-phenylalanylchloromethyl ketone and N-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester did not inhibit cell fusion. The latter enhanced fusion of infected cells but was without effect on normal cells. These results indicate that a Ca2+-activated thiol proteinase may be involved in membrane fusion in malaria-infected as well as in normal red cells. However, differences in the effect of proteinase inhibitors and substrate on fusion and Ca2+ entry show that the processes leading to fusion may not be identical.




© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1983