Entamoeba histolytica P-glycoprotein (EhPgp) inhibition, induce trophozoite acidification and enhance programmed cell death

Olivia Medel Flores, Consuelo Gómez García, Virgina Sánchez Monroy, José D.Artagnan Villalba Magadaleno, Elvira Nader García, D. Guillermo Pérez Ishiwara

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Programmed cell death (PCD) is induced in Entamoeba histolytica by a variety of stimuli in vitro and in vivo. In mammals, intracellular acidification serves as a global switch for inactivating cellular processes and initiates molecular mechanisms implicated in the destruction of the genome. In contrast, intracellular alkalinization produced by P-glycoprotein overexpression in multidrug-resistant cells has been related to apoptosis resistance. Our previous studies showed that overexpression of E. histolytica P-glycoprotein (PGP) altered chloride-dependent currents and triggered trophozoite swelling, the reverse process of cell shrinkage produced during PCD. Here we showed that antisense inhibition of PGP expression produced a synchronous death of trophozoites and the enhancement of biochemical and morphological characteristics of PCD induced by G418. The nucleus was contracted, and the nuclear membrane was disrupted. Moreover, chromatin was extensively fragmented. Ca2+ concentration was increased, while the intracellular pH (ipH) was acidified. In contrast, PGP overexpression prevented intracellular acidification and circumvented the apoptotic effect of G418.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)532-540
Number of pages9
JournalExperimental Parasitology
Volume135
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2013

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