Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Tractable Mammalian Cell Infections with Protozoan-primed Bacteria
13:54

Tractable Mammalian Cell Infections with Protozoan-primed Bacteria

Published on: April 2, 2013

11.0K

Characteristics of Factors of Protozoa Blastocystis hominis Persistence

N I Potaturkina-Nesterova1, N A Il'ina2,3, N V Bugero2,3

  • 1Department of General and Clinical Pharmacology with Microbiology Course, Ulyanovsk State University, Ulyanovsk, Russia. sgmikm@gmail.com.

Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine
|October 27, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Blastocystis hominis protozoa express factors that inactivate natural anti-infection defenses. These activities, including anti-lactoferrin and anti-lysozyme, are significantly higher in virulent strains compared to healthy individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Parasitology

Background:

  • Blastocystis hominis is a common intestinal protozoan parasite.
  • The parasite's interaction with the host immune system is not fully understood.
  • Understanding immune evasion mechanisms is crucial for managing Blastocystis infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression and activity of factors produced by Blastocystis hominis that may interfere with host innate immunity.
  • To quantify the prevalence and levels of specific anti-host defense factors in clinical isolates.
  • To correlate the expression of these factors with parasite virulence.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of clinical isolates of Blastocystis hominis.
  • Detection and quantification of anti-lysozyme, anti-lactoferrin, and antihistone factor activities.
  • Comparison of factor activity between different virulence groups of Blastocystis hominis and healthy individuals.

Main Results:

  • Blastocystis hominis expresses anti-lysozyme, anti-lactoferrin, and antihistone factors.
  • Prevalence in clinical isolates: anti-lactoferrin (84.5±3.7%), anti-lysozyme (64.8±5.7%), anti-histone (48.1±2.3%).
  • Significantly lower levels of these factors were found in healthy humans (7.3±1.3%, 5.3±0.9%, 3.3±0.4%).
  • Highly virulent Blastocystis hominis strains exhibited higher activities of these factors compared to less virulent strains.

Conclusions:

  • Blastocystis hominis possesses mechanisms to inactivate host anti-infection factors, contributing to its persistence.
  • The expression of anti-lysozyme, anti-lactoferrin, and antihistone activities is linked to parasite virulence.
  • These findings provide insights into the immune evasion strategies of Blastocystis hominis.
Keywords:
Blastocystis sppanti-histone activityanti-lactoferrin activityanti-lysozyme activityvirulence

More Related Videos

Morphometric Protocol for the Objective Assessment of Blastocyst Behavior During Vitrification and Warming Steps08:28

Morphometric Protocol for the Objective Assessment of Blastocyst Behavior During Vitrification and Warming Steps

Published on: February 28, 2019

9.3K
Studying Cryptosporidium Infection in 3D Tissue-derived Human Organoid Culture Systems by Microinjection05:31

Studying Cryptosporidium Infection in 3D Tissue-derived Human Organoid Culture Systems by Microinjection

Published on: September 14, 2019

10.3K

Related Concept Videos

Diversity of Protists I01:15

Diversity of Protists I

Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
1.9K
Diversity of Protists IV01:27

Diversity of Protists IV

Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...
1.8K
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
1.8K
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
667
Overview of Protists01:27

Overview of Protists

Protists are diverse eukaryotic microorganisms that lack the specialized tissues of plants and animals and the chitinous cell walls of fungi. Their early divergence within Eukarya resulted in structural, functional, and ecological diversity. They are classified into supergroups such as Archaeplastida, Excavata, Amoebozoa, Rhizaria, Alveolata, and Stramenopiles, determined through genetic analysis and structural similarities.Structural and Functional AdaptationsProtists have various adaptations...
2.7K
Endospores and Sporulation01:20

Endospores and Sporulation

Endospores are specialized, dormant cells primarily formed by Gram-positive bacteria, including Bacillus and Clostridium, enabling survival under extreme environmental conditions. Due to their unique composition and formation process, these structures are highly resistant to physical and chemical insults, such as extreme heat, ultraviolet and ionizing radiation, desiccation, and toxic chemicals. Rare instances of endospore-like structures have also been observed in some Gram-negative bacteria,...
6.7K