[Relationship between hemolymph phenol oxidase and melanization of oocysts of Plasmodium yoelii in Anopheles stephensi].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between the hemolymph phenol oxidase and melanization of oocysts.


METHODS
Anopheles stephensi-Plasmodium yoelii system was used to determine the activity of monophenol oxidase (MPO) and o-diphenol oxidase (o-DPO) in the hemolymph collected from 4 groups of mosquitoes by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) followed by density scanning. The 4 groups of mosquitoes were: non-blood-fed (N), normal-blood-fed (B), infected-blood-fed (I) and nitroquine-administrated (D), respectively.


RESULTS
No significant difference was found in the activities of MPO and o-DPO between groups N and B. The activities of MPO and o-DPO were not obviously modified in group I, but were significantly increased on day 10 and decreased on day 15 after blood feeding in the group D as compared with those in the groups N and B.


CONCLUSIONS
The alteration in the mosquito hemolymph PO activity coincided at each time point with the melanization of Plasmodium yoelii oocysts.
Shi
C M
CM
Department of Parasitology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038.
Huang
F S
FS
Kuang
M S
MS
Duan
J H
JH
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000201:enzymology*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000469:parasitology; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D033661:Oocysts / Q000502:physiology; D010967:Plasmodium yoelii / Q000502:physiology*
D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase