N-Acetyl-D-Galactosamine-Inhibitable Adherence Lectin of Entamoeba histolytica. II. Mitogenic Activity for Human Lymphocytes

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Abstract
A soluble protein preparation from virulent axenic amoebae (strain HM1-IMSS) has been demonstrated to be mitogenic for normal human lymphocytes; mitogenesis was optimal at 100 µg/ml when incubation was maintained for five to seven days with monocytes (P < .001). After gel filtration chromatography mitogenic activity of fractions was associated with N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-inhibitable lectin activity (agglutination of Chinese hamster ovary cells; P < .001). Lymphocyte proliferation induced by these active fractions was specifically inhibited by asialofetuin (P < .001), which contains three terminal β1-4 linked galactose residues. In four strains of axenic amoebae mitogenic activity of soluble protein preparations correlated with in vitro virulence and lectin activity for Chinese hamster ovary cells. The amoebic N-acetyl-d-galactosamine-inhibitable lectin appears to be responsible for the mitogenic activity of soluble amoebic protein preparations; alteration of cell-mediated immunity by this amoebic moiety could potentiate in vivo virulence of the parasite.

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