Interaction between trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica and the human intestinal cell line HT-29 in the presence or absence of leukocytes.

Studies on the interaction between trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica of pathogenic or non-pathogenic origin and epithelial cells of the human intestine can contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of invasive amoebiasis. We have examined the interaction of virulent E. histolytica with the human colonic carcinoma cell line HT-29. Differentiated HT-29 cells are comparable to the mucosa cells to which E. histolytica attaches physiologically. Adherence between E. histolytica trophozoites and HT-29 cells was effectively inhibited by glycoconjugates containing galactose, indicating the importance of the 170-kDa lectin of E. histolytica in binding to intestinal cells. Adherence was not significantly inhibited by glycoconjugates containing N-acetyl-glucosamine, indicating that the 220-kDa lectin of E. histolytica is not involved in binding to HT-29 cells. The destruction of HT-29 cells by pathogenic E. histolytica was dependent on adherence. The destruction was enhanced when polymorphonuclear granulocytes were added to the E. histolytica trophozoites.