Effect of inhibitors on glucose transport in malaria ( Plasmodium berghei) infected erythrocytes

Abstract

Effect of inhibitors on glucose transport in malaria ( Plasmodium berghei) infected erythrocytes. International Journal for Parasitology 16: 441–446. The effect of cytochalasin B and phloretin on transport of d-glucose and 2-deoxy- d-glucose into Plasmodium berghei-infected mouse erythrocytes was studied. Both the inhibitor-sensitive and insensitive fractions of transport in the infected erythrocytes were increased compared with normal erythrocytes. The i 50 values (concentrations of inhibitor producing 50% inhibition) were similar for both infected and normal erythrocytes, indicating that the binding affinities of the carrier were not substantially changed, but the turnover number, availability, or the number of the carrier may have increased in infection. There was a large increase in the transport of l-glucose into infected erythrocytes. Neither inhibitor showed any effect on transport of l-glucose into infected or normal erythrocytes. d-Galactose and d-fructose also showed a large transport increase mostly insensitive to cytochalasin B. The specificity of the transport increase raises the possibility of the presence of a new pathway other than simple diffusion, or the carrier-mediated pathway revealed by cytochalasin B or phloretin inhibition.