Trichomonas vaginalis 62 kDa proteinase as a possible virulence factor

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of 62 kDa proteinase and anti-62 kDa proteinase antibody in clinical samples of symptomatic and asymptomatic infected women. Proteinase was detected in all the swabs vaginal of infected women. Significantly, amounts of antigen (mean optical density (OD) values) were detected in swabs vaginal of symptomatic as compared to asymptomatic women. This protein was not detected in the group of patients with Trichomonas vaginalis-culture-negative results and in the groups of samples infected with other agents. Antibody to 62 kDa was detected in the swabs vaginal the only 66.6% of the symptomatic and 55.5% of the asymptomatic infected women. Antibody to 62 kDa was also detected in 7/30 of the swabs vaginal from uninfected women. No significant difference was observed in mean OD values of vaginal swabs of T. vaginalis-infected symptomatic as compared to asymptomatic women. The presence of proteinase in 100% of T. vaginalis-infected women suggested that 62 kDa proteinase could be a virulence factor.

Humoral and T cell–mediated immune response against trichomoniasis

“…However, the amount of CP62 in vaginal samples was significantly higher in symptomatic women indicating a role of CP62 in virulence. 79 Further, the CP62-specific antibodies were detected in the vaginal samples of 66.6% symptomatic-and 55.5% asymptomatic-infected women. The CP62-specific antibodies were also detected in 7 of 30 vaginal samples from uninfected women.…”

“…The CP62‐specific antibodies were also detected in 7 of 30 vaginal samples from uninfected women. However, no significant difference was found between symptomatic and asymptomatic women regarding the levels of CP62‐specific antibodies in their vaginal secretions . CP62‐specific monoclonal antibodies reduced cytoadherence of T. vaginalis to HeLa cell monolayers.…”

“…CP62 was detected in all vaginal samples from symptomatic and asymptomatic T. vaginalis‐ infected women. However, the amount of CP62 in vaginal samples was significantly higher in symptomatic women indicating a role of CP62 in virulence . Further, the CP62‐specific antibodies were detected in the vaginal samples of 66.6% symptomatic‐ and 55.5% asymptomatic‐infected women.…”

Mechanisms ofTritrichomonas foetusPathogenicity in Cats with Insights from Venereal Trichomonosis

“…Expression of cysteine proteases by trichomonads can be dependent on many environmental factors including availability of polyamines, zinc, and iron 82, 83. Many of the T. vaginalis cysteine proteases have been identified in vaginal secretions from infected women 84, 85. The cytotoxic effects of cysteine proteases include degradation of mucus, complement and immunoglobulin, and destruction of extracellular matrix (fibronectin, several types of collagen, and laminin) 43, 72, 73, 84, 86, 87.…”

Comparative aspects of immunity and vaccination in human and bovine trichomoniasis: a review

“…Cyto-adherence and cytotoxicity (Petrópolis et al 2008;Ramon-Luing Lde et al 2011) are thought to be the principal mechanism. Binding of trichomonads to vaginal epithelial cells for colonization and infection is dependent on adhesion molecules on the surface of the parasites, either alone or with other soluble parasite molecules such as hydrolytic enzymes (Peterson and Alderete 1982;Neale and Alderete 1990;Lockwood et al 1984;Hernandez et al 2011), cytotoxic molecules (Ramon-Luing Lde et al 2011;Lucas et al 2008), cell detaching (Garber et al 1989), or cell lytic factors (Alvarez-Sanchez et al 2000;Kennett et al 2002).…”