title: Trichomonas gallinae: a possible contact-dependent mechanism in the hemolytic activity.
abstract: The in vitro hemolytic activity of Trichomonas gallinae was investigated. The parasite was tested against human erythrocytes of groups A, B, AB, and O, and against erythrocytes of six adult animals of different species (rabbit, rat, chicken, horse, bovine, and sheep). Results showed that T. gallinae lysed all human erythrocytes groups, as well as rabbit, rat, chicken, horse, bovine and sheep erythrocytes. No hemolysin released by the parasites could be identified. Hemolysis did not occur with trichomonad culture supernatants, with sonicated extracts of T. gallinae, or with killed organisms. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the erythrocytes adhered to the parasite surface and were phagocytosed. These observations suggest that the contact between T. gallinae and erythrocytes may be an important mechanism in the injury caused to the erythrocytes. The hemolytic activity of T. gallinae may be an efficient means of obtaining nutrients for the parasite and allow the investigation of the mechanism used by T. gallinae to damage cellular membranes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia Clínica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga 6681, 900619-900, RS, Porto Alegre, Brazil. gdecarli@portoweb.com.br
authors.forename: Geraldo Attilio
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: De Carli
authors.forename: Tiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tasca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D010856:Columbidae; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006461:Hemolysis; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D012756:Sheep; D014244:Trichomonas / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D001789:Blood Group Antigens