title: Plasmodium berghei: effect of protease inhibitors during gametogenesis and early zygote development.
abstract: Plasmodium berghei: The effect of five protease inhibitors, TPCK, TLCK, PMSF, leupeptin, and 1,10-phenanthroline on in vitro gametogenesis and early zygote development of P. berghei was investigated. PMSF and leupeptin showed no effect. Cysteine/serine protease inhibitors TPCK/TLCK at concentrations of 75 and 100 microM were effective on inhibiting exflagellation center formation, and this effect was reversible with the addition of l-cysteine. Exflagellation center formation was most effectively blocked by 1,10-phenanthroline (1mM), and exflagellation center numbers were restored by the addition of Zn(2+). A reduction of ookinete production was observed when TPCK/TLCK (100 microM) was added at 2h after gametogenesis, but no effect was observed with 1,10-phenanthroline (1mM). Our results suggest that proteolysis is important in both gametocyte activation and sexual development of P. berghei.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Parasitology, CINVESTAV-IPN, Av. IPN 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco Delegacion G.A. Madero, Mexico 07360 DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Mario H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Fidel
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de la Cruz Hernandez-Hernandez
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D005718:Gametogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D007976:Leupeptins / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010618:Phenanthrolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010664:Phenylmethylsulfonyl Fluoride / Q000494:pharmacology; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014107:Tosyllysine Chloromethyl Ketone / Q000494:pharmacology; D014108:Tosylphenylalanyl Chloromethyl Ketone / Q000494:pharmacology; D015053:Zygote / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D007976:Leupeptins; D010618:Phenanthrolines; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D014107:Tosyllysine Chloromethyl Ketone; D014108:Tosylphenylalanyl Chloromethyl Ketone; D010664:Phenylmethylsulfonyl Fluoride; C032854:leupeptin; C025205:1,10-phenanthroline