Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Surface antigenic variation in Giardia lamblia.

Theodore E Nash1

  • 1Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0425, USA. tnash@niaid.nih.gov

Molecular Microbiology
|July 26, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Giardia lamblia uses variant-specific surface proteins (VSPs) for survival and adaptation. The exact function of VSP antigenic variation remains complex and requires further investigation.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Monoclonal antibody-based immunohistochemistry reveals residual Taenia solium antigens in calcified granulomas from pigs with neurocysticercosis.

PLoS neglected tropical diseases·2026
Same author

Eosinophil recruitment and activation in the central nervous system of patients with subarachnoid neurocysticercosis.

Journal of neuroinflammation·2025
Same author

In vitro system for <i>Taenia solium</i> cysts culture and growth: progress toward a neurocysticercosis model.

Future microbiology·2025
Same author

The process of residual calcification following antiparasitic treatment in the pig model of neurocysticercosis is dynamic.

PLoS neglected tropical diseases·2025
Same author

Calcified Neurocysticercosis: Understanding Dead (Not Necessarily Inactive) Parasites.

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene·2025
Same author

Immunologic Profiling of CSF in Subarachnoid Neurocysticercosis Reveals Specific Interleukin-10-Producing Cell Populations During Treatment.

Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation·2024

Area of Science:

  • Parasitology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Giardia lamblia is a globally prevalent intestinal protozoan causing diarrhea in humans and animals.
  • Variant-specific surface proteins (VSPs) coat the parasite's surface and are crucial for its survival.
  • VSPs are unusual, cysteine-rich proteins with unique structural motifs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the biological roles of VSPs in Giardia lamblia.
  • To investigate the significance of VSP antigenic variation beyond immune evasion.
  • To understand the complexity of VSP expression and function.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of VSP protein structure and motifs (cysteine-rich, CXXC, GGCY, Zn finger).
  • Assessment of VSP resistance to intestinal proteases.

Related Experiment Videos

  • In vivo observation of VSP expression changes, including in the absence of adaptive immunity.

    • Main Results:

    • VSPs are resistant to intestinal proteases, suggesting a role in survival within the small intestine.
    • VSP expression varies in vivo even without an adaptive immune system, indicating a more complex biological role.
    • The molecular mechanisms of VSP antigenic variation in Giardia lamblia are unknown and distinct from other protozoa.

    Conclusions:

    • VSPs likely contribute to Giardia lamblia's survival in the harsh intestinal environment.
    • Antigenic variation in Giardia lamblia serves purposes beyond simple immune escape.
    • Further research is needed to elucidate the precise functions and regulatory mechanisms of VSPs and their variation.