Abstract
Proteases of Entamoeba histolytica are considered to be an important virulence factor in the pathogenesis of amebiasis. Cysteine proteinases have been suggested to play a key role in tissue invasion and modulation of cell-mediated immune response. Several cysteine proteinases with molecular masses in the range of 16–96 kDa have been observed in extracts of E. histolytica (1). Up to six different cysteine proteinase genes have been identified, and inhibition of their expression by antisense RNA has been shown to affect amebic virulence (2,3). The presence of a collagenase in E. histolytica trophozoites has been reported (4). Very little is known, however, about serine and metallo proteinases in this parasite, and no function has been attributed to such proteases. The present study was undertaken to investigate the presence and characterization of serine and metallo proteinases of E. histolytica.
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