The electrophoretic mobilities and activities of eleven enzymes of bloodstream and culture forms of Trypanosoma brucei compared

A multiple antigen detection dipstick colloidal dye immunoassay for the field diagnosis of trypanosome infections in cattle

Monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) were developed against aspartate aminotransferase purified from Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense bloodstream form (bf) soluble extracts using a combination of anion-exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. McAb 1A1 was Trypanozoon and Nannomonas specific while 2F1 was Trypanozoon bloodstream form specific. A dipstick colloidal dye immunoassay (DIA) was employed as a field diagnostic test for African trypanosome infections and designed using affinity purified polyclonal antibodies (PcAbs) raised against T. b. rhodesiense bf and the two McAbs, 1A1 and 2F1. PcAbs were adsorbed onto Palanil Red dye particles and used as dye reagents. Dipsticks were dotted with the three different antibodies, which captured trypanosomal antigens in samples tested, while the dye reagent bound to the captured antigens; the presence of coloured dots on the dipstick identified trypanosome infections. A field trial of the DIA was carried out in southeastern Uganda. A total of 1686 cattle from seven areas were bled and tested by DIA and haematocrit centrifuge technique (HCT). A total of 798 cattle (47.3%) were found to be trypanosomal antigen positive by DIA while only 162 (9.6%) were revealed to harbour trypanosomes by HCT, of which 151 (93%) were also positive by DIA.

A simplified method for identifying subspecies and strain groups in Trypanozoon by isoenzymes

To characterize trypanosomes from the subgenus Trypanozoon, 272 stocks in 111 zymodemes were analysed by the polymorphisms seen in a rationalized range of nine enzymes, resolved by electrophoresis, mostly on cellulose acetate. Several highly polymorphic or invariant enzymes used previously were omitted, while two new enzymes, NHD and SOD were included; the isoenzymes seen for SOD were interpreted as two separate enzymes, SODA and SODB. Isoenzyme band patterns were analysed by two complementary numerical methods to elucide taxonomic relationships within the subgenus; groups of zymodemes corresponding to subspecies and strain groups were defined, which agreed closely with previous studies. Except for one zymodeme, Trypanosoma evansi could not be clearly distinguished from the bouaflé strain group. This strain group had enzymic features that overlapped to some extent those of the busoga group. Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and the zambezi, kakumbi, kiboko and sindo groups were clearly defined. Eight zymodemes could not be classified. A rapid identification system using a limited number of enzymes is presented.

Elusive trypanosomes

Professor Kershaw's encouragement of the development of anion-exchange separation of African trypanosomes from blood led to two decades of activity when, for the first time, considerable progress was made in the intrinsic characterization of these parasites. Such characterization depended on establishing high infections in laboratory rodents. However, the collection of samples from the field was restricted by the failure of certain trypanosomes either to infect, or to multiply adequately in, rodents. More recently, in vitro culture has come to play an increasingly important role in producing material. By obtaining procyclic forms directly from wild tsetse flies, or by transforming low numbers of bloodstream forms in field samples to the procyclic phase in experimental tsetse, trypanosomes of poor or nil infectivity to rodents were readily cultured in the large amounts required for biochemical characterization. A number of specimens of a new kind of Nannomonas, of Trypanosoma simiae, of T. grayi, and of an antigenically distinct T. brucei gambiense were found. Evidence is presented that many other kinds of trypanosome may be eluding isolation by their inability to infect rodents.

The substitution of procyclic for bloodstream form Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in isoenzyme studies

Examination of 10 enzymes from 8 stocks of Trypanosoma brucei showed that procyclic forms could be substituted for bloodstream forms in isoenzyme studies. T. b. gambiense procyclic forms cultured in vitro offer a better source of material for genetic investigations because this species is usually of low infectivity and virulence to laboratory rodents. Using 6 stocks of T. b. gambiense and 2 stocks of T. b. brucei, enzyme patterns of bloodstream and procyclic forms were identical for isocitrate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, two nucleoside hydrolases (utilizing inosine and deoxyinosine respectively), phosphoglucomutase and superoxide dismutase. Procyclic forms appeared to have greater threonine dehydrogenase activity than bloodstream forms. Consistent differences between bloodstream and culture forms were observed for alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and malate dehydrogenase. These agreed with known differences in the metabolism of procyclic and bloodstream forms.

A new method for isolating Trypanosoma brucei gambiense from sleeping sickness patients

Low infectivity to laboratory mammals and low virulence make Trypanosoma brucei gambiense difficult to isolate and grow in amounts sufficient for biochemical characterization. We report the isolation of T.b. gambiense by feeding cryopreserved primary isolates to laboratory-reared Glossina morsitans morsitans, followed by rapid cultivation in vitro of procyclic forms dissected from infected tsetse fly midguts. This technique allows the characterization of hitherto unsampled populations and avoids selection due to long-term subpassage. Of 16 primary isolates from trypanosomiasis patients of the Fontem focus in Cameroon, 12 (75%) produced infections in tsetse whereas only 4 (25%) infected rats. Ten isolates were subsequently cultivated as procyclic forms in vitro; 2 failed to grow owing to bacterial contamination. In addition, 2 primary isolates from Côte d'Ivoire patients and a stock of low virulence from the Congo Republic were similarly grown. Only one primary isolate produced tsetse salivary gland infections, an observation consistent with the hypothesis that some populations of T.b. gambiense are intrinsically incompatible with G.m. morsitans.

Isoenzyme changes during the life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi

The isoenzyme profiles, for 14 enzymes, of amastigotes, trypomastigotes and epimastigotes were compared in various cloned and uncloned T. cruzi stocks belonging to different zymodemes. A culture method with a human diploid cell line was developed and produced either pure amastigotes or trypomastigotes in high yields. Trypomastigotes were also isolated from rat blood and from liquid culture. Epimastigotes were harvested from various acellular media and from the overlay of cell monolayers. The isoenzyme patterns of each life-cycle stage showed consistent differences in the number, position and intensity of the electrophoretic bands for certain enzymes. With the single exception of one peptidase, the variable patterns were stage-specific regardless of whether the organisms were harvested from animals or from various cultures at different temperatures.

Enzyme polymorphism and the distribution of Trypanosoma congolense isolates

Conditions were established for demonstrating, by electrophoresis, polymorphism in 12 soluble enzymes from Trypanosoma congolense. Three enzymes had identical mobilities in every stock, variation occurring among the remaining nine. Enzyme profiles were determined in 78 stocks collected from various hosts in a number of African countries, and were used by the computer to establish relationships within the collection. The major groupings formed solely from the isoenzymes corresponded remarkably closely to the origins of the stocks. Two distinct enzymic divisions formed, related only at the 20% level; Division A consisted entirely of stocks isolated in the humid coastal areas of West Africa, while Division B consisted mostly of stocks from drier zones throughout Africa. Some large groupings within these two main divisions also correlated with particular areas of origin within the major ecologic zones. The dry zone Division B included one group almost exclusively from East Africa, and two quite distinct enzymic groups from The Gambia; isolates from Liberia and Ivory Coast tended to fall into separate groups within the humid zone Division A. It is suggested that the differences between the major divisions may be associated with infraspecific adaptation to the different vector species occupying the separate habitats.

First record of a reptile trypanosome isolated from Glossina pallidipes in Kenya

Trypanosomes, isolated from the gut of a naturally infected Glossina pallidipes in Kiboko, Kenya, were grown in vitro. The cultured trypanosomes ("F4"-stock) showed a wide variety in morphological stages, not characteristic of the salivarian trypanosomes that are known to occur in the Kiboko area. Identification of the "F4"-stock was attempted by isoenzyme studies, infection of tsetse flies and of experimental animals. Electrophoretic isoenzyme patterns of the "F4"-organisms were developed for ten soluble enzymes and compared with those of 5 reference stocks of salivarian trypanosomes and 2 stocks of Trypanosoma theileri. For the T. theileri comparisons six enzymes were used. It was found that the "F4"-trypanosome clearly differed from the 3 salivarian species and from T. theileri. Experimental infection of laboratory bred Glossina m. morsitans showed that the "F4"-organisms developed in the posterior station of the alimentary tract and the cultured trypanosomes were infective to non-indigenous reptiles. This is believed to be the first record of the isolation and the isoenzyme characterisation of a non-salivarian reptile trypanosome from a naturally infected tsetse fly of the morsitans group (subgenus Glossina) in a savannah area in Africa.

Localization of malate dehydrogenase, adenylate kinase and glycolytic enzymes in glycosomes and the threonine pathway in the mitochondrion of cultured procyclic trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma brucei

Procyclic culture forms of Trypanosoma brucei stock 427 have been screened for the presence of enzymes involved in glycolysis, mitochondrial energy metabolism and threonine degradation. The enzyme activities in the procyclics were compared with those of the blood stream forms. The specific activities of glycolytic enzymes represented 30-70% of the respective levels in the blood stream form, except for hexokinase which was 25-fold reduced. Cell fractionation showed that the enzymes involved in the early sequence of the glycolytic pathway, i.e. from hexokinase to phosphoglycerate kinase, and the enzymes NAD+-linked glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and glycerol kinase were all present in glycosomes equilibrating at a density of 1.23 g/cm3 in sucrose gradients. Malate dehydrogenase was 8-fold more active in procyclics than in bloodstream forms. This increase in activity was the result of the appearance of malate dehydrogenase in the glycosomes of the procyclics, in addition to mitochondrial and cell-sap activities which were present in both stages of the life cycle. Glycosomes contained part of the adenylate kinase activity, which was also associated with the mitochondrion. Succinate dehydrogenase and sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, together with oligomycin-sensitive ATPase, were located in the mitochondrion which had a density in sucrose ranging from 1.16 to 1.18 g/cm3. This organelle also contained L-threonine 3-dehydrogenase and carnitine acetyltransferase, two enzymes involved in threonine catabolism. The latter two enzymes had activities which were, respectively, 15-and 13-fold higher in the procyclics than in the bloodstream form. Mitochondrial sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was decreased 4-fold.