Purification, partial characterization and immunolocalization of a proteophosphoglycan secreted by Leishmania mexicana amastigotes

Abstract

The intracellular amastigote form of the parasitic protozoon Leishmania mexicana expresses a high molecular weight phosphoglycan, which is antigenically related to the surface glycolipid lipophosphoglycan and the secreted enzyme acid phosphatase of Leishmania promastigotes. This antigen was purified from a cell-free homogenate of infected mouse tissue and from amastigotes. Compositional and immunological analysis of the purified components indicate a proteophosphoglycan structure consisting of serine-rich polypeptide chains and mild acid-labile phosphooligosaccharides capped by mannooligosaccharides. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy of parasitized mouse peritoneal macrophages..