Leishmania enzyme activities in the promastigotes of leishmania tropica and leishmania major

ABSTRACT

A comparison was made between the enzyme activity in the promastigotes of Leishmania tropica and Leishmania major. Specific activities of hexokinase and lactate dehydrogenase in L. major were about 3 folds and glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase 8 folds those of in L. tropica. Acid phosphatase activity was 30% higher in L. major. No significant differences were, however, observed in alkaline phosphatase activity in the two species. The results of this study imply that the activity of acid phosphatase in a local acid environment, which results from hexokinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities, may be directly associated with the degree of virulence of leishmania