Metabolite mapping of human filarial parasite, Brugia malayi with nuclear magnetic resonance

Metabolite mapping of human filarial parasite, Brugia malayi was carried ou t in vitro as well as in situ in host Mastomys coucha by P-31 nuclear magne tic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Detection of parasites by visualizing con trast spots due to pathologic changes was observed by III magnetic resonanc e imaging (MRI), Major metabolites of adult B, malayi observed by P-31-NMR spectroscopy were of sugar phosphates (SP), phosphomonoesters (PME), glycer ophosphoryl-ethanolamine (GPE), -choline (GPC), phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), inorganic phosphate (Pi), nucleoside diphosphosugar and nucleotides-mono, - di and -tri phosphates, PEP and GPC were present in high concentration; PEP being the major energy reservoir and GPC the major phospholipid in this sp ecies of filaria. The P-31 NMR spectra of testis of mastomys, showed seven major peaks of SP, PME, phosphocreatine (PCr), phosphodiesters (PDE), Pi, a nd nucleotides di- and tri-phosphates, The P-31-NMR spectra of testis of B. malayi infected animal also consisted of seven major peaks with significan t decrease in the SP and PME peak showing changes in the carbohydrate and l ipid metabolism of filaria infected testis, Thus, in vivo P-31 MRS provided a non-invasive assessment of tissue bioenergetics and phospholipid metabol ism. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.