Entamoeba histolytica: Plasma membrane components and virulence factors in the invasive process

Entamoeba histolytica, the etiological agent of amoebiasis, is a parasitic protozoan responsible for severe gastrointestinal complications, including colitis and hepatic abscesses. The parasite primarily colonizes the human large intestine, where the active stages confront a hostile environment. Specialized adaptations in the plasma membrane of E. histolytica are critical for survive in this niche and enable the parasite to persist harmlessly in asymptomatic infection or initiate pathogenic interactions that lead to tissue invasion. Early events in pathogenesis are the breaching of the intestinal mucus layer and the subsequent contact with enteric cell. Thes processes have a link to adhesion, and along with concurrent steps such as host cell killing, immune evasion and immunomodulation, depend on the structural and molecular composition of the parasite´s plasma membrane. Over decades, studies on its diverse plasma membrane´s components have unraveled several mechanisms that guarantee the success of E. histolytica as an intestinal pathogen. This chapter explores how factors associated to plasma membrane contribute to the parasite´s ability to thrive in the intestinal environment, evade host defenses, and thrive disease progression.