Resumo

BALLEN, Diana E; BARRIOS, Mairym; APARICIO, Greslena  e  CESARI, Italo M. Enzymes and glycoproteins present in extracts of adult Fasciola hepatica worms. Bol Mal Salud Amb [online]. 2014, vol.54, n.2, pp.120-128. ISSN 1690-4648.

Fasciola hepatica is a trematode that causes damage to the liver and biliary tract in both herbivores and man, and is thus an important public health concern in agricultural areas worldwide. This parasite contains glycoproteins and enzymes that facilitate its penetration of, and migration through, host tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative proportions of these components in the soluble fraction (SF) and n-butanol-solubilized extracts of the particulate fraction (PF) of whole homogenates of adult F. hepatica worms. Extracts were analyzed for protein and carbohydrate content, and hydrolytic activity. In addition, 15% SDS-PAGE electrophoresis was performed under non-reducing (NR) and reducing (R) conditions to identify other components. The SF contained 5.63 μmol carbohydrate/mL, as well as phosphohydrolases, glycosidases and peptidases, with a high acid phosphatase activity (1.19 μmol/h/mg, pH 5.0) that seemed to be characteristic of this fraction. The PF contained 7.89 μmol carbohydrate/mL, with high alkaline phosphatase (5.79 μmol/h/mg) and acid phosphatase (1.67 μmol/h/mg), and moderate phosphodiesterase (0.280 μmol/h/mg pH 9.6) values. Acetylcholinesterase activity was higher in the SF than the PF (3.95 A/h vs. 1.68 A/h). SDS-PAGE analysis showed the presence of polypeptides in both the SF and the PF of ~80 to 10-kDa . Pretreatment with sodium-metaperiodate reduced the number of bands in each extract suggesting the presence of glycocomponents. The notable presence of enzymes and glycocomponents in the SF and PF extracts of adult F. hepatica worms is a first step towards the eventual identification of new immunological and pharmacological targets for the control of this disease.

Palavras-chave : Fasciola hepatica; enzymatic activity; glycoproteins; trematodes.

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