Reduction of Ca2+ uptake induced by ionophore A23187 of red cells from malaria (Plasmodium berghei)-infected mice.

The Ca2+ ionophore A23187 has much less capacity to induce Ca2+ uptake of red cells from P. berghei-infected mice than of cells from normal mice. The reduction in Ca2+ uptake occurs in both uninfected and infected cells at all stages in the infected blood, as shown from experiments with cells separated on colloidal silica density gradient. Measurement of the ionophore concentration in the medium reveals that the ionophore is partitioned into red cells from infected blood to a greater extent than cells from normal blood. The reduction in A23187-induced Ca2+ uptake may be due to difference in the interaction of red cell membrane with the ionophore, and its already high Ca2+ permeability.