The role of Complement Receptor 4 in trogocytic killing of the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis by neutrophil-like cells
Year: 2019
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv) infects an estimated 3.7 million people in the United States. Trichomoniasis, caused by Tv, is the most common curable sexually transmitted infection, though people who get treated for it can get infected again. Additionally, roughly 70% of infected people do not show symptoms, and therefore do not seek further treatment. Tv also can increase the risk of getting infected with another STI, including HIV, and is associated with reproductive complications. In order to develop more effective Tv control plans, such as vaccines, the immune response against Tv needs to be better understood. Current research has shown that neutrophils are the first responders against Tv. The method by which neutrophils attack Tv is through a recently discovered process called trogocytosis, in which the neutrophil ???nibbles??? the Tv until it dies. This nibbling is contact-dependent, and is initiated by opsonins, such as iC3b, which prime the parasite for trogocytosis. This indicates the presence of a receptor on the host neutrophils which will bind to the opsonins on the parasite. A receptor of interest is complement receptor (CR) 4, which detects pathogens by binding to iC3b. We hypothesize that the knockdown of CR4 will decrease the trogocytic activity of neutrophils and allow enhanced Tv survival. With better understanding of the cellular mechanism by which Tv is recognized and primed for trogocytosis, further research can be conducted for future use in the design of a vaccine that could prevent re-infection of Tv.
Authors: Jose A. Moran, Frances Mercer
Language: English
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2990822720