Sialyltransferase Activity from Thyroid Gland of Sheep Experimentally Infected With Trypanosoma Congolense

Abstract

African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) is a disease complex caused by
trypanosomes parasites and transmitted via tsetse fly vector. Transplacental
and mechanical transmission can also occur. Trypanosomosis can affect both
domestic and wild animals in natural and experimental infections. AAT is
one of the most devastating disease in African continent particularly Nigeria.
The disease has direct impacts on livestock productivity, hence affecting
farmer’s production opportunity and income, leading to poverty and hunger.
Sialidase (SD) has been implicated in the de-sialylation of erythrocyte surface
sialic acid (SA), hence the pathogenesis of anaemia in AAT. Trypanosusceptible
animals were found to survive AAT induced anaemia for a long period of
time or even recover. This could be possible because of the host response to
anaemia by the release of sialyltransferase (ST). ST mediates attachment of
SA to the cell surface glycoprotein including erythrocytes. Thus, re-sialylation
phenomenon is believed to contribute to the stabilization of red cells mass in
anaemia induced by AAT. In this study, ST activities were expressed from
thyroid glands of T. congolense-infected and non-infected sheep. The median
ST activities from both groups were determined on DEAE-cellulose and
Sephadex G-100 columns. The observed increase in ST activities particularly
in the T. congolense-infected group was the major finding in this research.
Therefore, the results lean support on ST involvement in the recovery phase
of anaemia due to AAT. The P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.