Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39432113›Full record

ArticleParasitology research2024

Analysis of virulence factors in extracellular vesicles secreted by Naegleria fowleri.

Itzel Berenice Rodríguez-Mera, Saúl Rojas-Hernández, Karla Alejandra Barrón-Graciano, María Maricela Carrasco-Yépez

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Parasitology research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Extracellular Vesicles ofJournal of extracellular biology · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Characterization ofFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Itzel Berenice Rodríguez-MeraUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Grupo CyMA, UIICSE, FES Iztacala, Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental, Estado de México, Tlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico.
Saúl Rojas-HernándezLaboratorio de Inmunología Molecular y de Mucosas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Mexico City, Mexico. saulrohe@yahoo.com.mx.
Karla Alejandra Barrón-GracianoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Grupo CyMA, UIICSE, FES Iztacala, Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental, Estado de México, Tlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico.
María Maricela Carrasco-YépezUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Grupo CyMA, UIICSE, FES Iztacala, Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental, Estado de México, Tlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico. macaye@iztacala.unam.mx.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Naegleria fowleri is the etiological agent of primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rapidly progressive acute and fulminant infection that affects the central nervous system, particularly of children and young adults, which has a mortality rate greater than 95%, and its symptomatologic similarity with other meningitis caused by virus or bacteria makes it difficult to make a quick and timely diagnosis that prevents the progression of the infection. It is necessary to know the antigenic determinants as well as the pathogenicity mechanisms of this amoeba to implement strategies that allow for better antiamoebic therapeutic and diagnostic targets that directly impact the health sector. Therefore, the aim of this work was to analyze some virulence factors as part of extracellular vesicle (EV) cargo secreted by N. fowleri. The EV secretion to the extracellular medium was evaluated in trophozoites fixed and incubated with anti-N. fowleri antibody while molecular identification of EV cargo was performed by SDS-PAGE, Western blot, and RT-PCR. Our results showed that N. fowleri secretes a wide variety of vesicle sizes ranging from 0.2 to > 2 μm, and these EVs were recognized by antibodies anti-Naegleropore B, anti-19 kDa polypeptide band, anti-membrane protein Mp2CL5, anti-protease cathepsin B, and anti-actin. Furthermore, these vesicles were localized in the trophozoites cytoplasm or secreted into the extracellular medium. Specifically in relation to small vesicles, our purified exosomes were recognized by CD63 and Hsp70 markers, along with the previously mentioned proteins. RT-PCR analysis was made through the isolation of EVs from N. fowleri trophozoite culture by concentration, filtration, and ultracentrifugation. Interestingly, we obtained PCR products for Nfa1, NPB, Mp2CL5, and CatB genes as part of exosomes cargo. This suggests that the molecules identified in this work could play an important role in communication as well as in infectious processes caused by this amoeba. Therefore, the study and characterization of the pathogenicity mechanisms, as well as the virulence factors released by N. fowleri remains a key point to provide valuable information for the development of therapeutic treatments, vaccine design, or biomarkers for a timely diagnosis against infections caused by protozoa.

Indexed as

Extracellular VesiclesNaegleria fowleriVirulence FactorsBlotting, WesternCentral Nervous System Protozoal InfectionsElectrophoresis, Polyacrylamide GelProtozoan ProteinsReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionProtozoan ProteinsVirulence FactorsBiomarkersExtracellular vesiclesNaegleria fowleriPathogenicity mechanismVirulence factors

Identifiers

PMID39432113
PMCPMC11493829

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.