Immunochemistry of Parasitic Diseases

Nash, T E.

Abstract

A system for classifying Giardia lamblia isolates was developed. Isolates fell into at least three major groups some of which differed greatly indicating these groups separated tens of millions of years ago. An adult mouse model of infection was developed. After an intense acute infection, trophozoites survive in very low numbers for months. A LIN-like Zn binding domain was identified in most variant- specific surface proteins and shown to bind Zn as well as other cationic metals. The biological significance of this is not known but it is possible that trophozoites bind intestinal Zn thereby preventing absorption and causing clinical or subclinical Zn deficient.

Funding Agency

• Agency: National Institute of Health (NIH)
• Institute: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
• Type: Intramural Research (Z01)
• Project #: 1Z01AI000161-15
• Application #: 3790673
• Support Year: 15
• Fiscal Year: 1992

Institution

• Name: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Country: United States

Publications

Kulakova, Liudmila; Singer, Steven M; Conrad, John et al. (2006) Epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the control of Giardia lamblia antigenic variation. Mol Microbiol 61:1533-42

Hayman, J Russell; Southern, Timothy R; Nash, Theodore E (2005) Role of sulfated glycans in adherence of the microsporidian Encephalitozoon intestinalis to host cells in vitro. Infect Immun 73:841-8

Elmendorf, Heidi G; Rohrer, Sally C; Khoury, Rasha S et al. (2005) Examination of a novel head-stalk protein family in Giardia lamblia characterised by the pairing of ankyrin repeats and coiled-coil domains. Int J Parasitol 35:1001-11

Touz, Maria C; Kulakova, Liudmila; Nash, Theodore E (2004) Adaptor protein complex 1 mediates the transport of lysosomal proteins from a Golgi-like organelle to peripheral vacuoles in the primitive eukaryote Giardia lamblia. Mol Biol Cell 15:3053-60

Worgall, Tilla S; Davis-Hayman, Sara R; Magana, Marissa M et al. (2004) Sterol and fatty acid regulatory pathways in a Giardia lamblia-derived promoter: evidence for SREBP as an ancient transcription factor. J Lipid Res 45:981-8

Zhou, Ping; Li, Erqiu; Zhu, Nannan et al. (2003) Role of interleukin-6 in the control of acute and chronic Giardia lamblia infections in mice. Infect Immun 71:1566-8

Hinshaw, Jerald C; Suh, Dae-Yeon; Garnier, Philippe et al. (2003) Oxidosqualene cyclase inhibitors as antimicrobial agents. J Med Chem 46:4240-3

Touz, Maria C; Lujan, Hugo D; Hayes, Stanley F et al. (2003) Sorting of encystation-specific cysteine protease to lysosome-like peripheral vacuoles in Giardia lamblia requires a conserved tyrosine-based motif. J Biol Chem 278:6420-6

Davis-Hayman, Sara R; Hayman, J Russell; Nash, Theodore E (2003) Encystation-specific regulation of the cyst wall protein 2 gene in Giardia lamblia by multiple cis-acting elements. Int J Parasitol 33:1005-12

Touz, Maria C; Nores, Maria J; Slavin, Ileana et al. (2002) The activity of a developmentally regulated cysteine proteinase is required for cyst wall formation in the primitive eukaryote Giardia lamblia. J Biol Chem 277:8474-81