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Changes in adenosine transport associated with melaminophenyl arsenical (Mel CY) resistance in Trypanosoma evansi: down-regulation and affinity changes of the P2 transporter

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2003

E. A. SUSWAM
Affiliation:
Center for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK Present address: Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1066 THT, 1900 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
C. A. ROSS
Affiliation:
Center for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
R. J. MARTIN
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames Iowa, IA 50011, USA
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Abstract

Studies of the kinetics of adenosine transport were carried out on the P1 and P2 transporters of drug-sensitive Trypanosoma evansi and its cloned derivative, resistant to the melaminophenyl arsenical Mel CY. Characterization of adenosine uptake was made by estimation of the maximum concentration taken up at time infinity (Amax). Amax on the P2 transporter of sensitive T. evansi was greater than Amax on the P1 transporter. Amax of the P2 transporter was significantly decreased in drug-resistant trypanosomes. The effect of adenosine concentration and inhibitors, on the rate of adenosine uptake, was described by Michaelis-Menten equations. In sensitive T. evansi, the maximum velocity of adenosine uptake (Vmax) of the P2 transporter was 2-fold greater than Vmax of the P1 transporter. The Vmax of the P2 transporter in resistant parasites was reduced 9-fold. The binding constants Km and Ki on the P2 transporter of resistant T. evansi, showed that resistance was associated with an increased affinity for adenosine, and a decreased affinity for adenine and Berenil. We suggest that resistance to melaminophenyl arsenicals in T. evansi, occurs via 2 mechanisms: (1) a reduction in the number of expressed P2 transporter molecules resulting in decreased uptake of melaminophenyl arsenicals; (2) a change in the binding properties of the P2 transporter.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2003 Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Fig. 1. Representative experiments showing adenosine uptake in drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Trypanosoma evansi. 2×107 trypanosomes were incubated with 5 μM tritiated adenosine either in the absence of inhibitor (A); or presence of 1 mM inosine, the P2 transporter (B), 1 mM adenine, the P1 transporter (C), or 1 mM of both adenine and inosine (D); at 37 °C. Incorporated radioactivity was measured at time-points between 10 and 120 sec. Trypanosomes were separated from transport medium by filtration and centrifugation through 0·45 μM cellulose filter. Transport was calculated from counts of decompositions of radioactivity recorded from a scintillation counter; and expressed as ρmoles/108 cells. Data were fitted to exponential plots using non-linear regression analysis. Note the non-zero start position. From these fittings transport rates were estimated as described in the text. Each experiment was repeated 4 times and similar results were obtained.

Figure 1

Fig. 2. Uptake of adenosine in drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Trypanosoma evansi: Effect of substrate concentration on uptake. 107 trypanosomes were incubated at 37 °C with varying concentrations of tritiated adenosine, in the absence of inhibitor (A); or presence of 1 mM inosine (B), 1 mM adenine (C), or 1 mM of both adenine and inosine (D). Uptake, V, was calculated from incorporated radioactivity and expressed as pmoles/108 cells. Data were fitted to rectangular hyperbolic plots and analysed using a non-linear regression analysis programme. Kinetic parameters were determined from these plots using Michaelis-Menten equations. Each experiment was repeated 3 times and similar results obtained.

Figure 2

Table 1. Amax of adenosine transport on the P1 and P2 transporters in Trypanosoma evansi: transport rates

Figure 3

Table 2. Effect of substrate concentration on adenosine uptake, and kinetics of inhibition of adenosine uptake in Trypanosoma evansi: Michaelis-Menten kinetics