Analysis of energy generation and glycolysis pathway in diminazene aceturate-resistant Babesia gibsoni isolate in vitro.

In our previous study, the level of parasitemia of the diminazene aceturate (DA)-resistant B. gibsoni isolate was continuously lower than that of the wild-type, indicating the possible alteration of energy metabolism in that isolate. Therefore, in the present study, the concentrations of ATP, glucose, lactate, and pyruvate, and the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase in the wild-type and DA-resistant isolate of B. gibsoni were measured and compared to investigate the amount of energy generation and the activity of the glycolysis pathway. As a result, the intracellular ATP and glucose concentrations in the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate were significantly higher than those in the wild-type. Meanwhile, the concentrations of lactate and pyruvate and the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase in the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate were not different from those in the wild-type. These results indicated that the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate contained a higher ATP concentration than the wild-type, but the activity of the glycolysis pathway was not altered in the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate. However, we could not determine the mechanism of the high energy production of the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate. Further studies on the energy metabolism of B. gibsoni are necessary to clarify the mechanism of the high energy production in the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate.