Skip to main content
Log in

Polyamine content and drug sensitivities of different clonal lines ofLeishmania infantum promastigotes

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Two isolates (skin and lymph node) ofLeishmania infantum obtained from a naturally infected dog were cloned and the free pools of polyamines for both complete isolates and clones were determined. Putrescine (Put) and spermidine (Spd) levels were highly variable among the lines studied, ranging from 0.89 to 2.1 nmol Spd/107 promastigotes. The Put/Spd ratio was also variable (1.54–0.51) and correlated with the cell growth of the lines studied. There were important differences in the clones' sensitivites to difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and Berenil, with some of the clones being almost refractory to the inhibitory effect of 50 μM DFMO, whereas the growth of others was reduced by 60%; similar findings were obtained with 50 μM Berenil.L. infantum sensitivites to DFMO and Berenil were correlated and apparently related to the values for the Put/Spd index.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Assaraf YG, Gloensen J, Spira DT, Bachrach U (1984) Polyamine levels and the activity of their biosynthetic enzymes in human erythrocytes infected with the malarial parasitePlasmodium falciparum. Biochem J 222:815–819

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bacchi CJ (1981) Content, synthesis and functions of polyamines in trypanosomatids: relationship to chemotherapy. J Protozool 28:20–27

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Balaña-Fouce R, Alunda JM (1991) The antiproliferative effect of Berenil onLeishmania infantum promastigotes is not reverted by exogenous polyamines. Med Sci Res 19:815–816

    Google Scholar 

  • Balaña-Fouce R, Ordóñez D, Alunda JM (1989) putrescine transport system inLeishmania infantum promastigotes. Mol Biochem Parasitol 35:43–50

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Balaña-Fouce R, Escribano MI, Alunda JM (1991a) Putrescine uptake regulation in response to α-difluoromethylornithine treatment inLeishmania infantum promastigotes. Mol Cell Biochem 107:127–133

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Balaña-Fouce R, Escribano MI, Alunda JM (1991b)Leishmania infantum polyamine biosynthesis and levels during the growth of promastigotes. Int J Biochem 23:1213–1217

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bastien P, Blaineau C, Taminh M, Rioux JA, Roizès G, Pagès M (1990) Interclonal variations in molecular karyotype inLeishmania infantum imply a ‘mosaic” strain structure. Mol Biochem Parasitol 40:53–62

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bitonti AJ, Dumont JA, McCann PP (1986) Characterization ofTrypanosoma brucei brucei S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and its inhibition by Berenil, Pentamidine and methylglioxal bis(guanyl hydrazone). Biochem J 237:685–689

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carrera L, Alunda JM (1993) Clonal differences in the proliferative capacity and thermosensitivity of single hostLeishmania infantum promastigotes. Med Sci Res 21:251–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrera-Ferrer L, Balaña-Fouce R, Cuquerella M, Alunda JM (1987) Effects of polyamine synthesis inhibitors on the growth ofLeishmania donovani infantum promastigotes. Med Sci Res 15:335–336

    Google Scholar 

  • Coombs GH, Sanderson BE (1985) Amine production byLeishmania mexicana. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 79:409–416

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coombs GH, Hart DT, Capaldo J (1983)Leishmania mexicana: drug sensitivities of promastigotes and transforming amastigotes. J Antimicrob Chemother 11:151–162

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coons T, Hanson S, Bitonti AJ, McCann PP, Ullman B (1990) a-Difluoromethylornithine resistance inLeishmania donovani is associated with increased ornithine decarboxylase activity. Mol Biochem Parasitol 39:77–79

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Escribano MI, Legaz ME (1988) High-performance liquid chromatography of the dansyl derivatives of putrescine, spermidine and spermine. Plant Physiol 87:519–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillin FD, Reiner DS, McCann PP (1984) Inhibition of growth ofGiardia lamblia by difluoromethylornithine, a specific inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis. J Protozool 31:161–163

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gradoni L, Iorio MA, Gramiccia M, Orsini S (1989) In vivo” effect of eflornithine DFMO and some related compounds onLeishmania infantum; preliminary communication. Farmaco [Sci] 44:1157–1166

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimm F, Brun R, Jenni L (1991) Promastigote infectivity inLeishmania infantum. Parasitol Res 77:185–191

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Handman E, Hocking RE, Mitchell GF, Spithill TW (1983) Isolation and characterization of infective and non-infective clones ofLeishmania tropica. Mol Biochem Parasitol 7:111–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill JO (1983) Quantitation ofLeishmania tropica major by its ability to form distinct colonies on agar-based media. Exp Parasitol 69:1068–1071

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaur K, Emmett K, McCann PP, Soerdsma A, Ullman B (1986) Effects ofDL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine onLeishmania donovani promastigotes. J Protozool 33:518–521

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim BG, McCann PP, Byers CJ (1987) Inhibition of multiplication ofAcanthamoeba castellanii by specific inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase. J Protozool 34:264–266

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCann PP, Pegg AE (1992) Ornithine decarboxylase as an enzyme target for therapy. Pharmacol Ther 54:195–215

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newton BA, LePage RFW (1967) Preferential inhibition of extranuclear deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis by the trypanocide Berenil. Biochem J 105:50

    Google Scholar 

  • North ML, Loockwood BC, Bremner AF, Coombs GH (1986) Polyamine biosynthesis inTrichomonas. Mol Biochem Parasitol 19:241–249

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • North TW, Wyler DJ (1987) DNA synthesis in promastigotes ofLeishmania major andL. donovani. Mol Biochem Parasitol 22:215–221

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sjoerdsma A, Schechter PJ (1984) Chemotherapeutic implications of polyamine biosynthesis inhibition. Clin Pharmacol Ther 35:287–299

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tyms AS, Williamson JD, Bacchi CJ (1988) Polyamine inhibitors in antimicrobial chemotherapy. J Antimicrob Chemother 22:403–427

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carrera, L., Balaña-Fouce, R. & Alunda, J.M. Polyamine content and drug sensitivities of different clonal lines ofLeishmania infantum promastigotes. Parasitol Res 80, 203–207 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00932675

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00932675

Keywords

Navigation