Involvement of a host erythrocyte sialic acid content in Babesia bovis infection

Host sialic acid (SA) has recently been suggested to play an important role in erythrocyte (RBC) infection by Babesia spp. The present study attempted to further determine the specific type of SAS important in the RBC invasion. Bovine RBC was found to bear abundant alpha 2-3-linked SA residues but not alpha 2-6-linked SA in nature, confirmed by flow cytometric analysis of the neuraminidase (Nm)-treated RBCs. Lectin-blot analyses revealed the removal of a2-3-linked SAS from the 97-, 33-, and 31-kDa bands by the Nm treatment. Addition of the Nm-treated RBCs into an in vitro culture of B. bovis resulted in a decreased population of the parasitized RBCs. The thin smear samples from the cultures were then observed under a confocal laser scanning microscope after staining with the a2-3-linked SA-specific lectin: a selective invasion of B. bovis was found only in the intact RBCs bearing the SAS, but not in the desiatylated RBCs. Furthermore, a significant reduction of the parasitized RBCs was also observed in the culture supplemented with exogenous 3'-sialyllactose containing the alpha 2-3-linked SAS. However, the complete inhibition of parasite proliferation was not achieved in the culture. These findings indicate that while the alpha 2-3-linked SA-dependent pathway is needed for highly efficient invasion of host RBCs by B. bovis, there might also be other potential alternative pathways.