Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis
Published on: February 16, 2015
Trichomonas Vaginalis Inhibits HeLa Cell Growth Through Modulation of Critical Molecules for Cell Proliferation and
Ziwen Zhu1,2, Lei Zhao3, Andrew Brittingham1
1Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines, IA, U.S.A.
Background/Aim:
Cervical cancer is one of the deadliest gynecological cancers in USA. The role of Trichomonas Vaginalis (T. Vag) in the etiology or pathogenesis of cervical cancer is still poorly understood and controversial.
Materials And Methods:
Clonogenic assay, PCNA staining, TUNEL staining and caspase-3 activity assay were used to investigate the direct in vitro effect of T. Vag on human cervical cancer by using HeLa cells. We further investigated the potential molecular mechanisms using RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining.
Results:
We found that culture supernatant of T. Vag inhibited growth of HeLa cervical cancer cells and this correlated with up-regulation of p15. We also found that culture supernatant of T. Vag induced apoptosis of HeLa cells and this correlated with up-regulation of Fas, TRAIL and TRAILR1.
Conclusion:
Culture supernatant of T. Vag inhibits growth of HeLa cervical cancer cells by inhibition of proliferation and promotion of apoptosis. Our study might be helpful to address the association between the development of cervical cancer and infection of T. Vag.
Related Concept Videos
Cells Coordinate Growth and Proliferation
Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
Negative Regulator Molecules
Apoptosis
Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions
CAM Families
The Integrin family of proteins is primarily involved...
Feedback Inhibition

