Precision-cut hamster liver slices as an ex vivo model to study amoebic liver abscess.
Entamoeba histolytica is the etiological agent of amoebiasis, the second cause of global morbidity and mortality due to parasitic diseases in humans. In approximately 1% of the cases, amoebas penetrate the intestinal mucosa and spread to other organs, producing extra-intestinal lesions, among which amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is the most common. To study ALA, in vivo and in vitro models are used. However, animal models may pose ethical issues, and are time-consuming and costly; and cell cultures represent isolated cellular lineages. The present study reports the infection of precision-cut hamster liver slices with Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites. The infection time-course, including tissue damage, parallels findings previously reported in the animal model. At the same time amoebic virulence factors were detected in the infected slices. This new model to study ALA is simple and reproducible, and employs less than 1/3 of the hamsters required for in vivo analyses.
Carranza-Rosales
Pilar
P
División de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Administración de Correos No. 4, Apartado Postal 020, Colonia Independencia, Monterrey, NL, CP 64720, Mexico. pilarcarranza@cibinmty.net
Santiago-Mauricio
María Guadalupe
MG
Guzmán-Delgado
Nancy Elena
NE
Vargas-Villarreal
Javier
J
Lozano-Garza
Gerardo
G
Ventura-Juárez
Javier
J
Balderas-Rentería
Isaías
I
Morán-Martínez
Javier
J
Gandolfi
A Jay
AJ
D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D057056:Cysteine Proteases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology*; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
D000199:Actins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007473:Ion Channels; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D037521:Virulence Factors; C041670:amoebapore proteins, protozoan; D057056:Cysteine Proteases