E. histolytica, causing 70,000 deaths annually, re-examined

A study from the University of California, Davis, published in Trends in Parasitology, has uncovered a sophisticated immune evasion strategy employed by the single-celled parasite Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica), which is responsible for approximately 50 million infections per year and nearly 70,000 deaths. The parasite is known to cause amoebiasis, with symptoms ranging from diarrhea to severe tissue damage in the colon, liver, brain, and lungs. The study demonstrated the molecular mechanism, termed trogocytosis, by which the parasite first kills human host cells and then ingests their outer membrane components to mimic their behaviour. The acquisition of human proteins such as CD46 and CD55 by the parasite enables it to adopt a ‘disguise’ that prevents the immune system from attacking and destroying the parasite, thereby conferring a form of immune resistance. The findings of this research provide a foundation for the development of novel therapies and vaccines against a parasite that is still poorly understood but poses a significant global health threat.