Research
Immunohistochemical localization of hepatopancreatic phospholipase A2 in Hexaplex Trunculus digestive cells
1 Laboratoire de biochimie et de génie enzymatique des lipases, ENIS BPW 1173 Université de Sfax-Tunisia
2 Laboratoire de Neurobiologie Cutanée, CHU Morvan, Université de Brest, 29609 BREST cedex France
3 Laboratoire d'Histoembryologie, FMS, BPW 3029 Université de Sfax, Tunisia
Lipids in Health and Disease 2011, 10:91 doi:10.1186/1476-511X-10-91
Published: 1 June 2011Abstract
Background
Mammalian sPLA2-IB localization cell are well characterized. In contrast, much less is known about aquatic primitive ones. The aquatic world contains a wide variety of living species and, hence represents a great potential for discovering new lipolytic enzymes and the mode of digestion of lipid food.
Results
The marine snail digestive phospholipase A2 (mSDPLA2) has been previously purified from snail hepatopancreas. The specific polyclonal antibodies were prepared and used for immunohistochimical and immunofluorescence analysis in order to determine the cellular location of mSDPLA2. Our results showed essentially that mSDPLA2 was detected inside in specific vesicles tentatively named (mSDPLA2+) granules of the digestive cells. No immunolabelling was observed in secretory zymogene-like cells. This immunocytolocalization indicates that lipid digestion in the snail might occur in specific granules inside the digestive cells.
Conclusion
The cellular location of mSDPLA2 suggests that intracellular phospholipids digestion, like other food components digestion of snail diet, occurs in these digestive cells. The hepatopancreas of H. trunculus has been pointed out as the main region for digestion, absorption and storage of lipids.
