title: Trichomoniasis and lactoferrin: future prospects.
abstract: Trichomonas vaginalis is a parasitic protozoan which infects the urogenital tract and requires iron as an essential nutrient. Iron is known to upregulate various adhesins required for cytoadherance and other factors involved in pathogenesis. At mucosal surfaces, iron is chelated by lactoferrin resulting in low levels of free iron. However, pathogens have evolved mechanisms for an increased uptake of iron. The present review highlights the role of iron in survival of Trichomonas during fluctuating concentrations of iron at mucosal surfaces during the menstrual cycle. Future prospects in terms of new drug and vaccine targets related to iron and its receptors have also been described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India. sehgalpgi@gmail.com
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sehgal
authors.forename: Kapil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.forename: Alka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sehgal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002614:Chelating Agents; D007501:Iron; D007781:Lactoferrin