Proteophosphoglycan secreted by Leishmania mexicana amastigotes causes vacuole formation in macrophages

Abstract

The amastigote form of Leishmania mexicana parasites colonizes macrophage phagolysosomes and induces the enlargement of these compartments to form huge parasitophorous vacuoles. We report here that a purified secreted amastigote product, proteophosphoglycan, is a macromolecule which causes vacuolization of peritoneal macrophages in vitro. Secretion of this glycoconjugate by intracellular parasites may contribute to the expansion of phagolysosomal compartments in infected cells.