title: Schistosoma mansoni: biochemical characterization of lactate transporters or similar proteins.
abstract: While in medium containing glucose, schistosomes exhibit homolactic fermentation. Accumulation of lactate acid in tissue fluid causes lowering of pH and a resultant inhibition of metabolic pathways. This requires lactate transporter protein in homolactic fermentors to facilitate the translocation of lactate(-) and [H(+)] across their plasma membrane. The ex-vivo experiment assessed lactic acid secretion by adult worms in absence and the presence of lactic acid transporter protein inhibitors. Phloretin and alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate caused a combined 25-35% inhibition of lactic acid secretion and probenecid increased this inhibition to 65% of control values. The removal of inhibitors resulted in 80% recovery of lactic acid secretion. In the in-vitro studies using vesicles isolated from adult worms and from schistosomula, the effects of phloretin and alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate were greater, each causing approximately 80% inhibition independently. The data obtained in this study demonstrate the presence of lactic acid transporters or similar proteins in Schistosoma mansoni.
authors: Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. kegithui@yahoo.com <kegithui@yahoo.com>
authors: Elijah K
authors: EK
authors: Githui
authors: Raymond T
authors: RT
authors: Damian
authors: Rashid A
authors: RA
authors: Aman