Metabolism of C(14)-glucose by Ascaridia galli

The fowl nematode Ascaridia galli employed in this experiment was obtained from the intestine of domestic fowls at the local market. The worms selected and washed several times in normal sterilized saline solution. Each about thirty of intact worms were incubated in 50 cc volume of special incubation flasks with incubation mixture consisting of 10 cc of Krebs-Ringer phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) to which were added universally labeled C14-glucose and non-radioactive carrier glucose so as to contain concentration of 200 mg per cent. The worms were allowed to incubation for 3 hours in Dubnoff metabolic shaking incubator at 38 C. After incubation period, respiratory CO(2) samples from central well of incubation flask were analysed for total CO(2) production rate and their specific activity of respiratory CO(2). Glycogen samples isolated from worms were analysed for uptake rate was determined by analyzing the difference of the glucose concentration in a medium before and after incubation period . Radioactivities of these series of experiments were counted by an endwindow Geiger-Muller counter as an infinitely thin samples. The quantitative analysis of C(14)-glucose utilized by Ascaridia galli was summarized as the following . The glucose uptake rate by A. galli was a mean value of 1.73+/-0.32 micro-mole per hour per gram of wet wt. and total CO(2) production rate by the worms averaged 8.44+/-1.11 micro-mole per hour per gram of wet wt. The relative specific activity of respiratory CO(2) (R.S.A CO(2)) averaged 2.68+/-0.38 per cent . Thus , a man of 2.68 per cent of total CO(2) production rate was originated from the glucose in the medium, therefore the rate of CO(2) production derived from medium glucose was a mean of 0.23+/-0.03 micro-mole per hour per gram of wet wt. Thus, the average value of 2.58+/-0.55 percent (R.G.D CO(2))of glucose utilized by the worms from the medium glucose was oxidized to respiratory CO2. The tissue concentration of glycogen in A. galli was a mean of 22.59+/-1.18 miligram per gram of wet wt or 2.26+/-0.123 percent per gram, and the turnover rate of glycogen pool yielded with a mean of 0.17+/-0.04 percent per hour or 0.037+/-0.006 miligram per hour per gram of wet wt. Therefore, a mean value of 16.37+/-4.04 per cent (R.G.D gly) of glucose was incorporated to the glycogen. These data account for that at least 18.95 per cent of the utilized glucose by the worms participated in furnishing the oxidation into respiratory CO(2) and the synthetic process into glycogen. According to the above data of the experiment, it is suggested in the metabolic process of glucose by Ascaridia galli that the synthetic process into the glycogen is more active than the oxidative process into the respiratory CO(2).

Metabolism of C(14)-glucose by Moniezia expansa and Diphyllobothrium mansoni

The adult worms of cestodes, Moniezia expansa and Diphyllobothrium mansoni employed in this experiment. The worms were divided into three portions, i.e. immature , mature and gravid proglottids, and each proglottids were incubated in a certain incubation period, and the glucose uptake rate, total CO2 production rate, tissue concentration and their radioactivities were employed as previous reports(Rim et al., 1965). The glucose uptake rate by M. expansa was a mean value of 6.46+/-1.23 micromole per hour per gram of wet wt. and the rate by D. mansoni was a mean value of 18.8+/-0.8 micro-mole per hour per gram of wet wt. The higher rates were observed in the mature proglottid of M. expansa and in the immature proglottid of D. mansoni . The total CO(2) production rates by the worms averaged 14.0+/-2.37 micro-mole per hour per gram in M. expansa and 17.51+/-1.54 micro-mole per hour per gram of wet wt. The relative specific activities of respiratory CO(2)(R.S.A CO(2)) averaged 22.2+/-5.15 percent in M. expansa and 54.2+/-2.2 per cent in D. mansoni. In the both worms, the higher values were obtained in the mature proglottids. Therefore, the average value of 8.84+/-2.66 per cent of glucose utilized by M. expansa and 8.23+/-0.50 percent of glucose utilized by D. mansoni from the medium glucose was oxidized into respiratory CO(2). The tissue concentrations of glycogen were a mean of 2.21+/-0.46 percent per gram of wet wt. in M. expansa and 7.56+/-1.24 percent per gram of wet wt. in D. mansoni. The higher concentration of glycogen was observed in the gravid proglottids of M. expansa, however the gravid proglottids of D. mansoni showed lower concentration of glycogen than the other proglottids. The turnover rate of glycogen pool yielded with a mean of 0.04+/-0.01 miligram per hour per gram of wet wt. of M. expansa, whereas a mean of 1.66+/- 0.46 miligram per hour per gram wet wt. of D. mansoni. Therefore, a mean value of 2.58+/-0.93 per cent(R.G.D gly) of glucose utilized by M. expansa and 53.6+/-1.4 percent by D. mansoni was incorproated into the glycogen . These data account for that at least 11.42 per cent of the utilized glucose by M. expansa and 61.83 per cent of the utilized glucose by D. mansoni participated in furnishing the oxidation into respiratory CO2 and the synthetic process into glycogen.

Metabolism of C(14)-acetate by some trematodes

The adult trematodes, Fasciola hepatica, Eurytrema pancreaticum and Paramphistomum cervi, employed in this experiment were obtained from the cattle slaughtered at the local abbatoir. The worms selected and washed several times in normal sterilized saline solution. Each about ten of intact F. hepatica, fourty of E. pancreaticum, and twenty of P. cervi were incubated in 50 cc volume of special incubation flasks with incubation medium consisting of 10 cc. of Krebs-Ringer phosphate buffer(pH 7.4) The incubation medium was added C(14)-1-acetate and non-radioactive carrier Na-acetate so as to contain acetate concentration of 50 mg per cent . The worms were allowed to incubate for 5 hours in the Dubnoff metabolic shaking incubator at 38 C. After incubation period, respiratory CO(2) samples from central well of incubation flask were analysed for total CO(2) production rate and their specific activity of respiratory CO(2). The lactate and pyruvate appearance rates were determined by analyzing the lactate and pyruvate concentration in a medium after incubation. The glycogen samples isolated from worms were analyzed for the tissue concentration and their radioactivities in order to determine the turnover rate of glycogen pool. Radioactivities of these series of experiments were counted by an endwindow Geiger-Muller counter as an infinitely thin samples. The quantitative analysis of C(14)-acetate utilized by F. hepatica, E. pancreaticum and P. cervi were compared and discussed in this report. According to these data of the experiment, it is suggested that the fatty acid such as acetate may play a part of their oxidative process into the respiratory CO2 and the synthetic process into glycogen in the above species of trematodes.

Metabolism of C(14)-glucose by plerocercoid of Diphyllobothrium sp

The glucose uptake rate by plerocercoid of Diphyllobothrium sp. was a mean value of 5.35+/-0.80 micro-mole/hr/g of wet wt, and total CO(2) production rates by the plerocercoid larva averaged 7.54+/-0.73 micro-mole/hr/g of wet wt. The relative specific activity into respiratory CO(2) showed a mean value of 7.30 +/-0.90 per cent. The rate of CO(2) production derived from medium C(14)-glucose was a mean of 0.58+/-0.13 micro-mole/hr/g of wet wt. Therefore, the average value of 1.92+/-0.38 per cent of glucose utilized by the larvae from the medium C(14)-glucose was oxidized to respiratory CO(2). The tissue concentration of glycogen in plerocercoid larva was a mean of 46.28 +/-2.23 mg/g or 4.63+/-0.22 per cent/g of wet wt., and the turnover rate of glycogen pool was a mean of 0.049 +/- 0.012 %/hr or 0.010 +/- 0.003 mg/hr/g of wet wt. The average value of 2.76+/-1.00 per cent of glucose utilized by the larvae from the medium C(14)-glucose was incorporated to the glycogen. These data accounts for that only 5 per cent of the utilized glucose by the plerocercoid larvae participated in furnishing the oxidation into respiratory CO(2) and the synthetic process into glycogen.

Metabolism of C(14)-glucose by Fasciola hepatica

The glucose uptake rate by Fasciola hepatica was a mean value of 9.62 +/- 0.54 micro-mole/hr/g, and total CO(2) production rate by the flukes averaged 24.28 +/- 4.26 micro-mole/hr/g wet wt. The relative specific activity of respiratory CO(2) showed a mean value of 79.89 +/- 1.78 per cent. The rate of CO(2) production derived from medium C(14)-glucose was a mean of 19.55 +/- 3.56 micro-mole/hr/g of we wt. Therefore, the average value of 32.72 +/- 4.8 percent of glucose utilized by the flukes from the medium C(14)-glucose was oxidized to respiratory CO(2). The tissue concentration of glycogen in F. hepatica was a mean of 38.36 +/- 2.91 mg/g or 3.84 +/- 0.29 %/g of wet wt, and the turnover rate of glycogen pool was a mean of 1.6+/-0.22 %/hr or 0.65 +/- 0.13 mg/hr/g. The average value of 37.26 +/- 3.86 per cent of glucose utilized by the fluke from the medium C(4)-glucose was incorporated to the glycogen. These data account for that approximately 70 per cent of the utilized glucose by the flukes participated in furnishing the oxidation into respiratory CO(2) and the synthetic process into glycogen.