Cysteine proteases of Echinococcus granulosus: Identification and preliminary characterization

NAIDICH, A.; PRADA, L.; CAMICIA, F.; CUCHER, M.; ROSENZVIT, M.C.; GUTIERREZ, A.M.

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Congreso; XXIII CONGRESO MUNDIAL DE HIDATIDOSIS; 2009

Asociación Internacional de Hidatidología

The causative agent of cystic hidatid disease is the cestode Echinococcus granulosus. Several parasitic cystein proteases (CP) have been identified, playing essential roles in parasite-host interaction. Some examples are degradation of immunoglobulins, albumin and extracelullar matrix components (as collagen and fibronectin). These proteases have been involved in the evasion of the immune response, invasion and tissue penetration in their hosts. Recentely, two CPs have been identified and characterized in E. multilocularis. These proteases were able to degrade molecules of extracellular matrix as collagen (Types I and IV) and molecules that participate in immune response, among other substrates. It is possible then, that they may act in the first steps in cystic development in the host-parasite interphase. It is important to determine the role of these proteases in processes like formation of secondary hydatid cysts, as they are possible targets of therapeutic and prophylactic post-surgery treatment.