Giardia can mimic the production of proteins by human cells that disrupt the intestinal barrier, thereby aggravating disease

Giardia under the microscope

A new study published on the 29th of this month shows that giardiae (a parasite that can cause stomach disease) can mimic the function of human cells, separating cells from the intestine and feeding on them. A team of researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK has been studying the secrets behind the success of giardia. They found that the parasite produces two main proteins that allow it to penetrate the protective layer of the intestine, breaking the connections between cells and obtaining nutrients.

People usually contract giardiasis by drinking contaminated water or food, causing a disease called giardiasis, and symptoms include diarrhea and stomach pain. In collaboration with colleagues at the University of Liverpool's Institute of Infection and Global Health, the team looked at cell cultures infected with Giardia in the lab to understand how the parasite interacts with intestinal cells. The study targeted two families of proteins, one of which could "mimic" tenascins in humans. Tendon proteins regulate cell adhesion during wound healing and tissue remodeling, helping cells separate from each other and balancing intercellular adhesion proteins when necessary. Giardia triggers this process by making a protein that is very similar to ours, which can break the connections between cells and disrupt the body's balance.

The team's next step is to investigate whether related diseases can be treated by removing these proteins and to study whether there are molecular differences between pathogenic and non-pathogenic parasites.

Compilation: Xiaobei Editor: Zhang Meng

Source: https://phys.org/news/2018-01-parasite-mimics-human-proteins-ready.html