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Haemoglobin binding with haptoglobin. Unequivocal demonstration that the beta-chains of human haemoglobin bind to haptoglobin.

ABSTRACT: Haptoglobin binding to haemoglobin and its isolated alpha- and beta-chains was studied by use of a highly sensitive solid-phase radiometric assay. As expected, adsorbents of haemoglobin bound 125I-labelled haptoglobin more efficiently than did adsorbents of the alpha-chain. However, unexpectedly, adsorbents of the beta-chain were found to be essentially identical with those of the alpha-chain in their ability to bind haptoglobin. These results demonstrate, unequivocally, the ability of beta-chains to bind to haptoglobin, and indicate that this assay is particularly convenient and useful for studying haptoglobin interactions with haemoglobin and its alpha- and beta-chains.

SUBMITTER: Kazim AL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1161299 | biostudies-other | 1980 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:Trypanosoma brucei requires haemoglobin for survival in the mammalian bloodstream. Haptoglobin (Hp), a host protein known to bind haemoglobin, was determined as a key component for haemoglobin acquisition by the parasite. Here, we investigated the impact of haptoglobin deficiency on T. brucei brucei infection and the parasite´s capacity to internalise haemoglobin in the Hp-/- mouse model. The infected Hp-/- mice exhibited normal disease progression, with minimal weight loss and no apparent organ pathology similarly to control mice. While the proteomic profile of mouse sera significantly changed in response to T. b. brucei, no differences in the infection response markers of blood plasma have been observed between Hp-/- and control Black mice. Similarly, very few quantitative differences have been observed between the proteomes of parasites harvested from Hp-/- and Black mice, entailing both endogenous proteins and internalised host proteins. While haptoglobin was indeed absent from parasites isolated from Hp-/-mice, haemoglobin peptides were unexpectedly detected in parasites from both Hp-/- and Black mice. This was verified by western blotting, EM immunolabeling of parasites cryosections, and analytical quantification of haem cofactors in the parasites extracts. Combined, the data support the Hp dispensability for haemoglobin internalisation by T. b. brucei during infection in mice. To further explore this phenomenon, we have generated T. b. brucei haptoglobin-haemoglobin receptor (HpHbR) knock-outs and used them to infect Hp-/- and control mice. The HpHbR-knock-out trypanosomes internalised significantly less haemoglobin from Hp-/- mice compared to those isolated from Black mice strongly suggesting that T. b. brucei employs an HpHbR-independent Hp-mediated mode for haemoglobin internalisation. Our study reveals a so-far hidden flexibility of haemoglobin acquisition by T. b. brucei and offers novel insights into alternative haemoglobin uptake pathways.

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Haemoglobin binding with haptoglobin. Unequivocal demonstration that the beta-chains of human haemoglobin bind to haptoglobin.

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