CYTOPATHOGENICITY OF ENTAMOEBA-HISTOLYTICA TO HUMAN INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS - INHIBITION BY MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AND SERA FROM AMEBIC PATIENTS

Interactions of pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica (HM 1) with human intestinal epithelial cells (Henle - 407) were investigated. The E. histolytica trophozoites adhered and cytolysed 87% of cultured epithelial cell monolayers. A significant (P < 0.001) inhibition of cytopathic effect of amoebic trophozoites pretreated with monoclonal antibodies to a 29 kDa surface associated protein suggested utilization of the 29 kDa surface protein in recognition and cytolysis of epithelial target cells. The polyclonal sera from treated patients of amoebic liver abscess and anti-amoebic hyperimmune serum inhibited cytopathogenicity to a greater degree (P < 0.001) than did the monoclonal antibodies. The data thus suggest involvement of several amoebic molecules in exercising cytopathogenicity to epithelial cells.