TESTOSTERONE-INDUCED CHANGES IN PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE MOLECULAR-SPECIESCOMPOSITION OF PLASMODIUM-CHABAUDI-INFECTED ERYTHROCYTES

This study is concerned with the influence of testosterone on the phos pholipid class and the phosphatidylcholine molecular species compositi on of various fractions obtained from the blood of Plasmodium chabaudi -infected mice. Blood plasma, infected erythrocytes, isolated parasite s and erythrocyte membranes isolated from both non-infected and infect ed erythrocytes in the form of ghosts- were analysed. In general, the phospholipid classes remained unaffected, while the phosphatidylcholin e (PC) molecular species composition showed differences after testoste rone treatment. In infected erythrocytes, there was a decrease in 16:0 /20:4-PC and 18:0/20:4-PC and an increase in 16:0/18:2(16:0/20:3)-PC. The decrease of 16:0/20:4-PC was exclusively confined to parasites. Th e rise in 16:0/18:2(16:0/20:3)-PC and the diminution of 18:0/20:4-PC o ccurred in the erythrocyte membrane of both infected ghosts and non-in fected ghosts as well as in the blood plasma. It is suggested that the se changes occur primarily in the plasma thereby influencing the eryth rocyte membranes. The decrease in 16:0/20:4-PC supports the view of th e independence of the parasite from the biosynthetic lipid pathways of its host cell.