Localisation of mepacrine inPlasmodium bergheiandPlasmodium falciparumby fluorescence microscopy

Abstract

Mouse erythrocytes infected with P. berghei were incubated in vitro with 3 .times. 10-8 or 10-7 M mepacrine. In trophozoites the fluorescence due to the drug was detectable, after 5 min incubation, at the host cell/parasite interface and on the membranes of the digestive vacuoles. No fluorescence was detected within the digestive vacuoles although the cytoplasm rapidly became fluorescent. There was no marked nuclear localization of fluorescence. In dividing and divided schizonts, intense points of fluorescence were seen which appeared to be localized in the conoid area, possibly in the paried organellas. These observations were confirmed on P. falciparum in Aotus erythrocytes and possible explanations are discussed.