title: Immunohistochemical localization of hepatopancreatic phospholipase A2 in Hexaplex trunculus digestive cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mammalian sPLA2-IB localization cell are well characterized. In contrast, much less is known about aquatic primitive ones. The aquatic world contains a wide variety of living species and, hence represents a great potential for discovering new lipolytic enzymes and the mode of digestion of lipid food.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The marine snail digestive phospholipase A2 (mSDPLA2) has been previously purified from snail hepatopancreas. The specific polyclonal antibodies were prepared and used for immunohistochimical and immunofluorescence analysis in order to determine the cellular location of mSDPLA2. Our results showed essentially that mSDPLA2 was detected inside in specific vesicles tentatively named (mSDPLA2+) granules of the digestive cells. No immunolabelling was observed in secretory zymogene-like cells. This immunocytolocalization indicates that lipid digestion in the snail might occur in specific granules inside the digestive cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cellular location of mSDPLA2 suggests that intracellular phospholipids digestion, like other food components digestion of snail diet, occurs in these digestive cells. The hepatopancreas of H. trunculus has been pointed out as the main region for digestion, absorption and storage of lipids.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de biochimie et de génie enzymatique des lipases, ENIS BPW 1173 Université de Sfax-Tunisia.
authors.forename: Zied
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zarai
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boulais
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karray
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Misery
authors.forename: Sofiane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bezzine
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rebai
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gargouri
authors.forename: Hafedh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mejdoub
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004064:Digestive System / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006372:Helix, Snails / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D043143:Hepatopancreas / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015151:Immunoblotting; D054467:Phospholipases A2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport; D014020:Tissue Extracts
chemical_list: D014020:Tissue Extracts; D054467:Phospholipases A2