Von Willebrand Factor Facilitates Intravascular Dissemination of Microsporidia Encephalitozoon hellem.

ABSTRACT: Microsporidia are a group of spore-forming, fungus-related pathogens that can infect both invertebrates and vertebrates including humans. The primary infection site is usually digestive tract, but systemic infections occur as well and cause damages to organs such as lung, brain, and liver. The systemic spread of microsporidia may be intravascular, requiring attachment and colonization in the presence of shear stress. Von Willebrand Factor (VWF) is a large multimeric intravascular protein and the key attachment sites for platelets and coagulation factors. Here in this study, we investigated the interactions between VWF and microsporidia Encephalitozoon hellem (E. hellem), and the modulating effects on E. hellem after VWF binding. Microfluidic assays showed that E. he

SUBMITTER: Bao J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8176104 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature