The monocyte locomotion inhibitory factor produced by Entamoeba histolytica inhibits induced nitric oxide production in human leukocytes.

The monocyte locomotion inhibitory factor, an anti-inflammatory pentapeptide produced by Entamoeba histolytica, inhibits the in vitro production of nitric oxide induced by cytokines (INF-gamma, TNF-alpha) or PMA in human leukocytes. This can be added to the other previously reported functional effects of this factor, such as the inhibition of monocyte locomotion and the synthesis of reactive oxygen intermediates in both monocytes and neutrophils. The decreased nitric oxide production may interfere with the killing of amebas by neutrophils in the early invasive stages of amebiasis, when oxidative mechanisms are used [reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates either individually or synergistically via peroxynitrite (ONOO(-))], and in the advanced stages, when both non-oxidative and oxidative (including nitric oxide) mechanisms are employed by macrophages. Diminished nitric oxide production by leukocytes may also contribute to the paucity of late inflammatory components in amebic abscess of the liver and other amebic lesions.