title: Analysis of pathogenicity by restriction-endonuclease digestion of amplified genomic DNA of Entamoeba histolytica isolated in Pernambuco, Brazil.
abstract: The pathogenicity of 47 strains of Entamoeba histolytica isolated in Pernambuco, Brazil, was examined using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction-endonuclease digestion. Electrophoretic patterns of PCR products digested with HinfI revealed that all strains were nonpathogenic. The results were entirely in accord with phenotypic properties such as isoenzyme patterns and the failure to bind a pathogenic-isolate-specific monoclonal antibody. When the sensitivity of PCR was examined, amplified products could be detected from template DNA equivalent to five trophozoites. These observations indicate that PCR amplification of genomic DNA and subsequent restriction-enzyme digestion is a useful strategy for obtaining a sensitive and accurate diagnosis. The present study also demonstrates that nonpathogenic strains of E. histolytica predominate in northeastern Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia Prof. Keizo Asami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Aca
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tateno
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ihara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001938:Brazil; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D007527:Isoenzymes; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; C032229:GANTC-specific type II deoxyribonucleases