Pathogenesis of acute experimental liver amebiasis.
Classical descriptions of the pathology of amebiasis portray the parasite as the cause of tissue damage and destruction, and in recent years a number of amebic molecules have been identified as virulence factors. In this review we describe a series of experiments that suggest a more complex host-parasite relation, at least during the early stages of acute experimental amebic liver abscess in hamsters. The problems of extrapolating experiments in vitro to explain observations in vivo are discussed. The role of amebic cysteine proteases is examined and evidence presented to suggest that they are primarily related not to tissue damage but to amebic survival, which is required for the progression of the lesion. Inflammation is shown to be not only the major cause of tissue damage but also an absolute requirement for amebic survival in the liver, whereas complement and ischemia are not involved in the disappearance of the parasite in the absence of inflammation.
Pérez-Tamayo
Ruy
R
Department of Experimental Medicine, National Autonomous University Medical School, Mexico City, Mexico. ruypt@hotmail.com
Montfort
Irmgard
I
García
Alfonso Olivos
AO
Ramos
Espiridión
E
Ostria
Carlos Barba
CB
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology*