Culture of Plasmodium berghei with the short life span in mouse erythrocytes: evaluation of chloroquine resistance in three strains of the malaria parasite

This comparative study was made to examine chroloquine inhibition of C14-hypoxanthine incorporation (preferably nucleic acid precursor for plasmodium) in the short-living red blood cell cultures in mice infected with P. berghei strains differently sensitive to the agent 24 hours after incubation. These included 1) chloroquine-sensitive H strain; 2) LNK-65 strain having a spontaneously 2-3-fold decreased sensitivity to the agent; 3) strain LNK-65 ChR selected for high resistance to chloroquine. IC50 (chloroquine concentrations that ensure 50% inhibition of the incorporation of nucleic acid precursor into the cells of the parasite) was estimated for 3 P. berghei strains that were differently sensitive to chloroquine. These in vitro values adequately reflect the sensitivity of these strains to the agent in vivo.