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Role of calcium and erythrocyte cytoskeleton phosphorylation in the invasion ofPlasmodium falciparum

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Abstract

The role of calcium in the invasion of the human erythrocyte by the parasitePlasmodium falciparum was studied. The intraerythrocytic and intraparasitic concentrations of Ca2+ were modified using calcium-ionophore A23187 and the chelator EGTA. The Ca2+ inside the parasite appared to be necessary for the normal completion of invasion. We determined that in recently invaded erythrocytes (2 h), the Ca2+ concentration increased about 10 tims. Merozoite invasion produced a decrease in β-spectrin phosphorylation and an increase in the phosphorylation of a protein with band 4.1 mobility. These changes were similar to those produced by an ionophore-mediated Ca2+ influx in uninfected erythrocytes. These facts support the idea that a calcium influx into erythrocytes might precede or accompany merozoite invasion, triggering a series of molecular events, including phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of cystoskeletal proteins.

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Abbreviations

IMP:

intramembranous particles

EGTA:

ethyleneglycol-bis-(β-aminoethyl ether)N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid

EDTA:

ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid

HBS:

HEPES buffer (20 mM, pH 7.2, 160 mM NaCl)

TPA:

12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate

DMSO:

dimethylsulfoxide

BSA:

bovine serum albumin

SDS-PAGE:

sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Group of Biochemistry, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia

    Moisés Wasserman, Jean Paul Vernot & Paula M. Mendoza

  2. Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Nacional, Bogota, Colombia

    Moisés Wasserman

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  1. Moisés Wasserman
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  2. Jean Paul Vernot
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  3. Paula M. Mendoza
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Wasserman, M., Vernot, J.P. & Mendoza, P.M. Role of calcium and erythrocyte cytoskeleton phosphorylation in the invasion ofPlasmodium falciparum . Parasitol Res 76, 681–688 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00931087

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00931087

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