2012
Statin pleiotropy prevents rho kinase‐mediated intestinal epithelial barrier compromise induced by Blastocystis cysteine proteases
Mirza H, Wu Z, Teo JD, Tan KS. Statin pleiotropy prevents rho kinase‐mediated intestinal epithelial barrier compromise induced by Blastocystis cysteine proteases. Cellular Microbiology 2012, 14: 1474-1484. PMID: 22587300, DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2012.01814.x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsZonula occludens-1Intestinal epithelial barrier functionEpithelial barrier functionEpithelial permeabilityIntestinal infectionsFluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran fluxHuman colonic epithelial monolayersTherapeutic potentialHMG-CoA reductaseHMG-CoA reductase inhibitor simvastatinBarrier functionChronic intestinal infectionCytoskeletal F-actinIntestinal epithelial permeabilityReductase inhibitor simvastatinColonic epithelial monolayersIntestinal epithelial barrierTransepithelial resistanceTight junctional ZO-1Myosin light chain phosphorylationParasite cysteine proteasesSymptomatic patientsIntestinal pathologyCysteine proteasesBlastocystis infection
2008
Blastocystis exhibits inter- and intra-subtype variation in cysteine protease activity
Mirza H, Tan KS. Blastocystis exhibits inter- and intra-subtype variation in cysteine protease activity. Parasitology Research 2008, 104: 355-361. PMID: 18846388, DOI: 10.1007/s00436-008-1203-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCysteine protease activityIntra-subtype variationRodent isolatesIL-8 responseColonic epithelial cellsHuman secretory IgAClinical studiesSecretory IgAAnimal modelsNon-virulent strainsProtease activityBlastocystis subtypesCysteine proteasesEpithelial cellsGiardia intestinalisCellular mechanismsZoonotic potentialBlastocystisEntamoeba histolyticaAvian isolatesPresent studyIsolatesSame isolatesParasitesIgA