title: Cyst and encystment in protozoan parasites: optimal targets for new life-cycle interrupting strategies?
abstract: Certain protozoan parasites use survival strategies to reside outside the host such as the formation of cysts. This dormant and resistant stage results from the complex process of encystment that involves diverse molecular and cellular modifications. The stimuli and changes associated with cyst biogenesis are a matter of ongoing studies in human and animal protozoan parasites such as amoeba and Giardia species because blocking every step in the encystment pathway should, in theory, interrupt their life cycles. The present review thoroughly examines this essential process in those protozoan parasites and discusses the possibility of using that information to develop new kinds of anti-parasite specific and life cycle-interrupting drugs, aimed at holding back the dissemination of these infections.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, México D.F. 04510, México.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Díaz
authors.forename: Julio César
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Carrero
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Argüello-García
authors.forename: Juan Pedro
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Laclette
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morales-Montor
mesh_terms: D019747:Aldose-Ketose Isomerases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D002686:Chitin / Q000378:metabolism; D002687:Chitin Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D004747:Entamoeba / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005872:Giardia / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D002686:Chitin; D002687:Chitin Synthase; C020582:glucosamine-6-phosphate isomerase; D019747:Aldose-Ketose Isomerases