MOLECULAR-CHANGES IN ENTAMOEBA-HISTOLYTICA IN RESPONSE TO BACTERIA

Entamoeba histolytica, the protozoan parasite, is the causative agent of amoebiasis. The degree of virulence, as inferred fi om invasiveness , of potentially pathogenic strains may be regulated by both host and parasite factors that determine the gut environment. One such factor t hat plays an important role is the bacterial flora in the gut. Previou s studies have clearly shown that bacterial flora is an important dete rminant of virulence in E. histolytica. However, the exact nature DE c hanges induced in E. histolytica in response to bacteria and their rol e in virulence is not clear. In this study the levels of a number of m olecules potentially important in virulence mechanisms were determined in E. histolytica cells grown with and without normal human bacterial flora, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Significant changes w ere observed only after the E. histolytica cells had been adapted to g row with bacterial flora for a number of generations, and not in short term culture.