SYSTEM OF C-14-GLUCOSE INCORPORATION IN AXENIC CULTURES OF ENTAMOEBA-INVADENS - IP-1 STRAIN

Background: It has been described that the walls of the amebic cysts f rom Entamoeba invadens are composed mainly of chitin, a polysaccharide of amino-sugars, It is also known that the synthesis of this polysacc haride is closely related to the degradation of the intracellular glyc ogen in this organism. Nevertheless, it is not known whether the intra cellular glycogen is really the source of the glucose requirements for the synthesis of the cell wall. Methods: To determine the relationshi p between the wall cyst synthesis and glycogen degradation, it was con sidered to develop an in vitro culture cell system to label this polys accharide with radioactive glucose. In this study, a system of C-14-gl ucose incorporation in axenic cultures of E, invadens was developed Th e experiments in the study were carried out to recognize if an increas e occurred in the C-14-glucose incorporation into ameba when the amoun t of the radioactivity used was increased, or whether this incorporati on is a dependent metabolic stage. Results: The results showed that th e amount of glucose incorporation reached similar values of 4.5 ;x 10( -12) mmol per cell in both cases. A different slope in the glucose kin etic incorporation between the cultures previously subjected to glucos e depletion and the standard cultures was observed. Conclusions: This axenic method of radioactive glucose incorporation in Entamoeba invade ns could facilitate the analysis on a greater scale of the metabolism of this nutrient,