title: Glucose transport in amastigotes and promastigotes of Leishmania mexicana mexicana.
abstract: Promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania mexicana mexicana transported 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG) by a saturable process with a Km of 24 +/- 3 microM and Vmax of 2.21 nmol min-1 (mg protein)-1 for the promastigote and a Km of 29 +/- 8 microM and Vmax of 0.13 nmol min-1 (mg protein)-1 for the amastigote stage. Amastigotes incorporated 2-DOG maximally at pH 5.0, while for promastigotes the optimum was at pH 7.0. Mid-log phase promastigotes were found to accumulate 2-DOG via a stereospecific carrier-mediated process which was competitively inhibited by D-glucose and D-mannose but not L-glucose. Transport was dependent upon temperature, with a Q10 in promastigotes of 1.83 and an optimum rate at 35 degrees C (+/- 4 degrees C) with an activation energy of 50.12 kJ mol-1. Stationary phase promastigotes accumulated 2-DOG at approximately twice the rate of mid-log phase promastigotes. Cytochalasin B, forskolin and phloretin were all found to inhibit human erythrocyte 2-DOG uptake but only cytochalasin B was found significantly to inhibit promastigote 2-DOG uptake. Interestingly, leishmanial 2-DOG uptake was inhibited by a series of membrane potential antagonists including the ionophore monensin, the H+ATPase inhibitor N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) and uncoupling agent carbonylcyanide-4-(triflouromethoxy) phenylhydrazone (FCCP), as well as, the tricyclic drugs chlomipramine and imipramine, but was insensitive to the Na+/K+ATPase inhibitor ouabain and the antitrypanosomal drugs Pentostam and Suramin. We therefore conclude that there are significant structural and mechanistic differences between the D-glucose uptake systems of Leishmania and the mammalian host to merit the inclusion of glucose transporters as putative targets for rational drug design.
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Sciences, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Burchmore
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Hart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000187:drug effects; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D003847:Deoxyglucose; D005947:Glucose