Effect of monosaccharides on uptake of Leishmania donovani promastigotes by murine macrophages
Datta, A.; Majumder, H.K.
Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics 23(1): 1-4
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-1208 PMID: 3733134 Document Number: 280192
The uptake of Leishmania donovani promastigotes by macrophages constitutes the first step of pathogenesis of kala-azar. Saccharides present on the promastigote surfaces were determined by agglutination of promastigotes by commercially available lectins. Lectins from the seeds of Canavalia ensiformis, Abrus precatorius, Ricinus communis, Glycine max and Arachis hypogaea agglutinated promastigotes, and this agglutination was inhibited by the corresponding specific sugars. In the absence of fetal calf serum, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, methyl-.beta.-D-galactoside, N-acetyl .alpha.-D-glucosamine and p-amino-phenyl-methyl-.alpha.-mannoside inhibited the uptake of promastigotes significantly while methyl-.alpha.-D-galactoside and p-nitrophenyl-.beta.-D-glucoside did not inhibit the uptake. Mild trypsinization of L. donovani promastigotes inhibited their uptake significantly. These results indicate that lectin-saccharide interaction may be involved in parasite macrophage adhesion.