Biomaterial Database

Identification of haptoglobin as a natural inhibitor of trypanocidal activity in human serum. 1995

A B Smith, and S L Hajduk

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294, USA.

Trypanosomes are protozoan parasites of medical and veterinary importance. Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infect humans, causing African sleeping sickness. However, Trypanosoma brucei brucei can only infect animals, causing the disease Nagana in cattle. Man is protected from this subspecies of trypanosomes by a toxic subtype of high density lipoproteins (HDLs) called the trypanosome lytic factor (TLF). The toxic molecule in TLF is believed to be the haptoglobin-related protein that when bound to hemoglobin kills the trypanosome via oxidative damage initiated by its peroxidase activity. The amount of lytic activity in serum varies widely between different individuals with up to a 60-fold difference in activity. In addition, an increase in the total amount of lytic activity occurs during the purification of TLF, suggesting that an inhibitor of TLF (ITLF) exists in human serum. We now show that the individual variation in trypanosome lytic activity in serum correlates to variations in the amount of ITLF. Immunoblots of ITLF probed with antiserum against haptoglobin recognize a 120-kDa protein, indicating that haptoglobin is present in partially purified ITLF. Haptoglobin involvement is further shown in that it inhibits TLF in a manner similar to ITLF. Using an anti-haptoglobin column to remove haptoglobin from ITLF, we show that the loss of haptoglobin coincides with the loss of inhibitor activity. Addition of purified haptoglobin restores inhibitor activity. This indicates that haptoglobin is the molecule responsible for inhibition and therefore causing the individual variation in serum lytic activity.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008075	Lipoproteins, HDL	A class of lipoproteins of small size (4-13 nm) and dense (greater than 1.063 g/ml) particles. HDL lipoproteins, synthesized in the liver without a lipid core, accumulate cholesterol esters from peripheral tissues and transport them to the liver for re-utilization or elimination from the body (the reverse cholesterol transport). Their major protein component is APOLIPOPROTEIN A-I. HDL also shuttle APOLIPOPROTEINS C and APOLIPOPROTEINS E to and from triglyceride-rich lipoproteins during their catabolism. HDL plasma level has been inversely correlated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases.	High Density Lipoprotein,High-Density Lipoprotein,High-Density Lipoproteins,alpha-Lipoprotein,alpha-Lipoproteins,Heavy Lipoproteins,alpha-1 Lipoprotein,Density Lipoprotein, High,HDL Lipoproteins,High Density Lipoproteins,Lipoprotein, High Density,Lipoprotein, High-Density,Lipoproteins, Heavy,Lipoproteins, High-Density,alpha Lipoprotein,alpha Lipoproteins
D002417	Cattle	Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor.	Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D002846	Chromatography, Affinity	A chromatographic technique that utilizes the ability of biological molecules, often ANTIBODIES, to bind to certain ligands specifically and reversibly. It is used in protein biochemistry. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Chromatography, Bioaffinity,Immunochromatography,Affinity Chromatography,Bioaffinity Chromatography
D006242	Haptoglobins	Plasma glycoproteins that form a stable complex with hemoglobin to aid the recycling of heme iron. They are encoded in man by a gene on the short arm of chromosome 16.	Haptoglobin
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000743	Anemia, Hemolytic	A condition of inadequate circulating red blood cells (ANEMIA) or insufficient HEMOGLOBIN due to premature destruction of red blood cells (ERYTHROCYTES).	Anemia, Hemolytic, Acquired,Anemia, Microangiopathic,Haemolytic Anaemia,Hemolytic Anemia,Hemolytic Anemia, Acquired,Microangiopathic Hemolytic Anemia,Acquired Hemolytic Anemia,Anaemia, Haemolytic,Anemia, Acquired Hemolytic,Anemia, Microangiopathic Hemolytic,Haemolytic Anaemias,Hemolytic Anemia, Microangiopathic,Microangiopathic Anemia,Microangiopathic Hemolytic Anemias
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014344	Trypanocidal Agents	Agents destructive to the protozoal organisms belonging to the suborder TRYPANOSOMATINA.	Trypanocidal Drugs,Trypanocides,Trypanosomicidal Agents,Trypanosomicides,Agents, Trypanocidal,Agents, Trypanosomicidal,Drugs, Trypanocidal
D014346	Trypanosoma brucei brucei	A hemoflagellate subspecies of parasitic protozoa that causes nagana in domestic and game animals in Africa. It apparently does not infect humans. It is transmitted by bites of tsetse flies (Glossina).	Trypanosoma brucei,Trypanosoma brucei bruceus,Trypanosoma bruceus,brucei brucei, Trypanosoma,brucei, Trypanosoma brucei,bruceus, Trypanosoma,bruceus, Trypanosoma brucei