Blastocystosis in humans is a clinical disease in which infection is caused by a protozoan parasite called Blastocystis. Interestingly, this single-celled organism is located within the gut and is capable of causing gut-related issues in its hosts. As a leading organization, we aim at creating blastocystosis vaccines and therapies and provide services that fit your requirements.
Introduction to Blastocystosis
The infection caused by the protozoan parasite Blastocystis is becoming more common in every corner of the world, and this shift can be seen even in developing countries. The existence of an infection from Blastocystis is one that sharply fluctuates across defined target populations, more so in developing countries with poor sanitation where it ranges anywhere between 60% and 1.5%. Currently, a great majority of research is looking into whether the protozoan is responsible for gastrointestinal disorders and its link with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is why the pathogenic character of Blastocystis is still being debated.
Fig.1 Microscopic views of Blastocystis. (Rojas-Jaimes, J., and E. Vesco-Monteagudo., 2023)
Pathogenesis of Blastocystosis
The pathogenesis of blastocystosis is intricate as it encompasses interactions between the parasite and the immune responses of the host. The blastocystis cysteine protease secreted by the parasites contributes to this process by first destroying the intestinal epithelial barriers and vectoring the production of interleukin cytokines as well as modulating the immune reaction. It can degrade some of the major molecules localized at the sites of cell-cell junctions and therefore increase the permeability of epithelial cells, and also initiate the cell death of the host cells that enhances the colonization and establishment of the parasite.
Fig.2 Blastopain-1 and other cysteine proteases from Blastocystis. (Arguello-Garcia, R., J. C. Carrero, and M. G., 2023)
Biomarkers Development of Blastocystosis
Biomarkers are critical tools in diagnostics, monitoring, and comprehension of diseases such as blastocystosis. Biomarkers can help to assess the impact a disease has, the effectiveness of treatment received and risks associated with the disease.
The small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene is one of the most widely used molecular markers in the identification of Blastocystis. There are multiplex PCR that amplifies targeted regions of SSU rRNA gene developed enabling simultaneous detection of several Blastocystis subtypes.
Heat shock proteins are a category of proteins that are over expressed in parasites during stress conditions like oxidative stress or temperature changes. HSP70 and other heat shock proteins have been investigated as potential biomarkers of Blastocystis.
Therapeutics & Vaccine Development of Blastocystosis
Therapeutics Development
Metronidazole has been associated with symptomatic blastocystosis in the past as the first known drug. Although there have been indications of resistance being developed so the effectiveness of the drug is known to be reliable. Some other antiprotozoal drugs which have been investigated are:
- Nitazoxanide, an alternative to metronidazole, nitazoxanide has shown activity against Blastocystis.
- Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX): This combination has been used to treat Blastocystis infections in individuals who do not respond to metronidazole.
Vaccines Development
At present, because of the global burden of blastocystosis, no vaccines are available for commercial purposes.RUNNING: Currently, researchers are looking into several possible vaccine targets:
- Surface antigens that could act as Blastocystis targeting ligands would facilitate parasite invasion into or attachment to host cells and hence need to be targeted.
- Cysteine Proteases: The proteomic-level targeting of cysteine proteases in the form of vaccines experiments might block the capability of the parasite to cause pathology.
Our Services
Our goal is to assist our clients in the core areas of developing advanced blastocystosis vaccines and therapies. With us, you are guaranteed to work with a professional team comprising of scientists, immunologists and pharmacologists who utilize advanced tools and technology to hasten your project progress.
Infectious Disease Model Development Services
- Blastocystis spp.-Infected Mouse Model
- Human Intestinal Xenograft Mouse Model with Blastocystis spp. Infection
- Human Fecal Microbiota Transplant Mouse Model with Blastocystis spp. Infection
In the blastocystosis therapy development, our objective together with the client is to find and develop new antimicrobial agents such as small molecules, peptides and biologics aimed at virulence factors. To complement our earlier services, we also extend our services to include further assessment of your therapeutic pipeline as well as strategizing for its optimization and advancement.
If you are interested in our services, please don't hesitate to contact us.
References
- Rojas-Jaimes, J., and E. Vesco-Monteagudo. "Remission of Chronic Blastocystosis Using Ciprofloxacin." Clin Case Rep 11.6 (2023): e7446.
- Arguello-Garcia, R., J. C. Carrero, and M. G. Ortega-Pierres. "Extracellular Cysteine Proteases of Key Intestinal Protozoan Pathogens-Factors Linked to Virulence and Pathogenicity." Int J Mol Sci 24.16 (2023).
- Carrero, J. C., et al. "Intestinal Amoebiasis: 160 Years of Its First Detection and Still Remains as a Health Problem in Developing Countries." Int J Med Microbiol 310.1 (2020): 151358.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
