In vivo incorporation of palmitic acid and galactose in glycolipids of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes.

Incubation of epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi with (3H)-palmitic acid and (3H)-galactose, respectively, results in the incorporation of both precursors into the lipopeptidophosphoglycan (LPPG) and in at least two glycosphingolipids. Palmitic acid was incorporated into sphinganine and sphingenine, identified after hydrolysis, respectively, of the major and the minor glycosphingolipid. The purified glycosphingolipids labeled with either precursor migrated with a Rf similar to that of a sample labeled by periodate oxidation and borotritide reduction in which sialic acids have been previously characterized. This, together with the fact that the palmitic acid labeled glycosphingolipids were partially hydrolysed with neuraminidase favors a ganglioside-like structure for these compounds.