Analysis of Acanthamoeba's Adhesion to Host Cells Via Mannose Binding Protein
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Date
2010-06
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Acanthamoeba is a ubiquitous opportunistically pathogenic organism that can cause a severe ocular infection (Acanthamoeba keratitis) and a fatal infection of the central nervous system (granulomatous amoebic encephalitis). Acanthamoeba is thought to bind to host cells via the mannose binding protein (MBP) and produce a potent cytopathic effect (CPE) which leads to targeted cell death. Recent studies have shown that Acanthamoeba’s pathogenic potential directly correlates with MBP expression and that MBP has the potential to serve as a marker for pathogenicity, however the mechanism of variable pathogenicity in Acanthamoeba isolates is still unknown. We hypothesize that the differences in pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba in humans is due to differences in MBP sequence between isolates of Acanthamoeba and that the capacity of Acanthamoeba to bind to human cells may be the main factor in its ability to initiate infection. Different isolates of Acanthamoeba were cultured, the DNA extracted, and partial MBP gene was amplified using PCR. The MBP amplimers were then sequenced. Analysis of the DNA sequences of the MBP of Acanthamoeba revealed differences between the DNA sequences of MBP between different isolates of Acanthamoeba. The results suggest that differences within the mannose binding protein may lead to different levels of pathogenicity within Acanthamoeba. Future research will be geared towards understanding how MBP is related to the cytotoxic effect as well as determining if MBP is the sole contributor to Acanthamoeba’s ability to bind to cells.
Description
3rd Place Winner at the Denman Undergraduate Research Forum
Keywords
Acanthamoeba, Mannose Binding Protein