Amebiasis and the Entamoeba histolytica Gal/GalNAc lectin: from lab bench to bedside
Petri, W.a.
Journal of Investigative Medicine the Official Publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research 44(2): 24-36
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 1081-5589 PMID: 8689398 Document Number: 457408
The characterization and application of E. histolytica Gal/GalNAc lectin is described under the headings: the amoebic Gal/GalNAc lectin (oligosaccharide structure of host receptors, control of lectin activity, role in cytotoxicity, cell signalling, lectin mediated serum resistance, biochemistry of the lectin-glycoconjugate interaction, the Gal/GalNAc lectin is encoded by gene families, the lectin lacks a classical carbohydrate binding motif, neutralizing MAbs map to the heavy subunit); control of lectin gene expression (development of transient DNA transfection, development of stable DNA transfection, characterization of the lectin hgl5 promoter); clinical applications (the lectin is antigenically conserved, anti-lectin MAbs differentiate E. histolytica from E. dispar, diagnosis of amoebiasis by detection of lectin in stool, vaccine application of the lectin); future directions.