Erythrocyte membrane-bound enzymes in Mastomys natalensis during Plasmodium berghei infection.

The pattern of activity of certain membrane-associated enzymes was followed in the erythrocytes of Plasmodium berghei-infected Mastomys natalensis. Parasitized erythrocytes were separated from non-parasitized populations by percoll-density gradient centrifugation. The activity of adenylate cyclase was markedly increased while those of ATPase, acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase were considerably decreased in the membrane preparations of parasitized erythrocytes as compared to normal erythrocytes. There was a decrease in the activity of ATPase and an increase of adenylate cyclase in the membrane preparations of non-parasitized erythrocytes. However, other enzymes did not alter to a significant extent in non-parasitized erythrocytes. Chloroquine (in vitro) stimulated adenylate cyclase, Na+, K+-ATPase and Ca++Mg++-ATPase while acetylcholinesterase was significantly inhibited.