UV-MALDI-TOF-MS analysis of glycosphingolipids from Plasmodium falciparum by using nor-harmane and GA as matrix

R. ERRA-BALSELLS,; M. LANDONI,; M. NISHIOKA,; H. NONAMI; A.S. COUTO.

Nagoya, Japón

Congreso; 52th Annual Conference on Mass Spectrometry.; 2004

Malaria remains a major health problem, especially in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, thus, developing new antimalarial drugs constitutes an urgent challenge. Lipid metabolism has been attracting a lot of attention as application for malaria chemotherapeutic purposes in the last years. However, little is known about glycosphingolipid biosynthesis in Plasmodium falciparum. In this report we perform a structural analysis of  the glycosphingolipids present in the three intraerythrocytic stages of the parasite by UV-MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The ceramide, monohexosylceramide, trihexosylceramide and tetrahexosylceramide fractions were isolated by TLC and analysed.