Strategies by which some pathogenic trichomonads integrate diverse signals in the decision-making process.
The interaction between each one of Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus with their hosts is a complex process in which components associated to the cell surfaces of both parasites and host epithelial cells, and also to soluble components found in vaginal/urethral secretions, are involved. Either cytoadhesion or the cytotoxicity exerted by parasites to host cells can be dictated by virulence factors such as adhesins, cysteine proteinases, laminin-binding proteins, integrins, integrin-like molecules, a cell detachment factor, a pore-forming protein, and glycosidases among others. How trichomonads manipulate informations from the extracellular medium, transduce such informations, and respond to them by stimulating the activities of some surface molecules and/or releasing enzymes are the aspects concerning trichomonal virulence which are here briefly reviewed and discussed.
López
L B
LB
UFRJ-Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Braga
M B
MB
López
J O
JO
Arroyo
R
R
Costa e Silva Filho
F
F
D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000469:parasitology; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014244:Trichomonas / Q000166:cytology / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000166:cytology / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D014566:Urogenital System / Q000469:parasitology
D007501:Iron