Transport of Folate cofactors by Plasmodium Falciparum infected Red blood cells

Abstract

Study of folate uptake by P.falciparum infected red blood cells indicated that the increase in rated of uptake resulted form the intracellular parasites. Folate uptake was highest at the schizont stage and was icreased with percent parasitemia. The uptake was neither a carrier-mediated nor an active transport because it could not be competitively inhibited by folate analogues, was not dependent on cellular energy, and showed no saturation with folate concentration in the transporting medium. The data primarily suggested that the uptake was through pores formed during infection by the malarial parasite. From the present study the existence of a possible folate salvage pathway in P.falciparum could not be demonstrated.