The inositol phosphate/diacylglycerol signalling pathway in Trypanosoma cruzi

• Published in: Biochemical journal Vol. 275; no. 2; pp. 407 - 411
• Main Authors: DOCAMPO, R, PIGNATARO, O. P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Portland Press 15.04.1991
• Subjects: Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Animals; Autoradiography; Biological and medical sciences; Calcium - pharmacology; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Diglycerides - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Inositol - metabolism; Inositol Phosphates - isolation & purification; Inositol Phosphates - metabolism; Intermediary metabolites. Miscellaneous; Other biological molecules; Phosphates - metabolism; Phosphatidylinositols - isolation & purification; Phosphatidylinositols - metabolism; Phosphorus Radioisotopes; Signal Transduction; Tritium; Trypanosoma cruzi - physiology; Protozoa; Calcium; Radiolabelling; Diglyceride; Biological evolution; HPLC chromatography; Inositol phosphate; Trypanosoma cruzi; Phosphatidylinositol; Signal transduction; Epimastigote; Second messenger; Rhizoflagellata
• ISSN: 0264-6021; 1470-8728
• DOI: 10.1042/bj2750407

Using [32P]Pi and [3H]inositol as precursors, we have detected the presence of phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, and their derivatives inositol phosphate, inositol 1,4-bisphosphate and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate respectively, in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. Using digitonin-permeabilized cells it was possible to detect a stimulation in the formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,4-bisphosphate as well as an increased generation of diacylglycerol in the presence of 1 mM-CaCl2. These results are consistent with the operation of a functional inositol phosphate/diacylglycerol pathway in T. cruzi, and constitute the first demonstration of the presence and activation of this pathway in a parasitic protozoan. These results also indicate that this pathway is conserved during evolution from lower to higher eukaryotic organisms.