New Study Reveals How Entamoeba Histolytica Uses Cell Bites as a Disguise
A recent study has shed light on how the parasitic amoeba Entamoeba histolytica employs a unique strategy to evade the immune system. By taking bites from human cells, the amoeba disguises itself, making it harder for the body’s defenses to detect and eliminate it.
Entamoeba histolytica typically enters the body through contaminated food or water, causing symptoms such as diarrhea. In severe cases, the parasite can travel through the bloodstream to vital organs, leading to potentially life-threatening complications.
Microbiologist Katherine Ralston, who conducted the research at the University of Virginia in 2011, discovered that rather than injecting toxins into host cells, E. histolytica physically consumes parts of human cells. This unique behavior helps the parasite gather outer membrane proteins from the cells, which it then uses to create a protective shield on its own surface.
According to Ralston, this disguises the amoeba from the immune system, allowing it to evade detection and continue its destructive behavior. The study found that E. histolytica can even consume white blood cells, which are responsible for combating intruders in the body.
By presenting human proteins on its surface, such as CD46 and CD55, the amoeba tricks the immune system into perceiving it as safe, preventing an immune response that would normally target foreign invaders. This clever disguise enables E. histolytica to form abscesses in the organs it infects, leading to further damage.
Interestingly, the researchers also found that the disguise created by E. histolytica was effective even when exposed to mouse blood serum, indicating similarities between human and mouse immune systems. This discovery opens up new possibilities for studying treatments and vaccines for the parasite using mouse models before progressing to human trials.
Ralston emphasizes the importance of building upon existing knowledge to develop new treatments, highlighting the iterative nature of scientific research. The study, although not yet peer-reviewed, is available as a pre-print on bioRxiv.
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