Figure 11.

Hypothetical models representing the interplay among lipid rafts, microvesicles-like large vesicles, exosomes-like small vesicles and intestinal cells. Panel (A) shows the blebbing of large vesicles from raft- and non-raft membranes of trophozoites. The release of small vesicles is also shown. Our results suggest that lipid rafts support the attachment of trophozoites on host cells and produce infection. Vesicles are secreted by this parasite to modulate host response and the breakdown of intestinal cellular integrity. Panel (B) shows that both oseltamivir or nystatin disrupts rafts and affects large as well as small vesicles. The architecture, size, and composition of vesicles, specifically the small vesicles are severely affected by these compounds. Lipid raft disruptors reduce the overall number of virulence factors present in vesicles. Oseltamivir and nystatin disrupt raft domains and decrease the ability of Giardia to attach to intestinal cells, encyst and producing infection in mice. (The image was created with BioRender.com).