Abstract.
We have shown previously that the human intestinal protozoan, Blastocystis hominis, undergoes apoptosis-like programmed cell death (PCD) when exposed to a cytotoxic monoclonal antibody (mAb), 1D5. In the present study, ELISA and immunoblot assays employing chicken anti-CPP32 antibody suggest that caspase-3-like antigens exist in B. hominis. Using colorimetric and flow cytometric assays for caspase-3 activity, we also observed an increase in activity between 1 h and 6 h after exposure to mAb 1D5, with greatest activity at 6 h. These findings suggest that caspase-3-like proteases play an important role in B. hominis undergoing PCD, similar to the phenomenon in higher eukaryotic organisms.
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Nasirudeen, .A., Singh, .M., Yap, .E. et al. Blastocystis hominis: evidence for caspase-3-like activity in cells undergoing programmed cell death. Parasitol Res 87, 559–565 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004360100427
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004360100427