Fig. 9: KERP2 reshapes epithelial mechanics, slows collective migration, and differentially affects barrier readouts. | Nature Communications

Fig. 9: KERP2 reshapes epithelial mechanics, slows collective migration, and differentially affects barrier readouts.

From: A multifaceted model of Entamoeba histolytica KERP2 regulating gene expression and host cell responses

Fig. 9: KERP2 reshapes epithelial mechanics, slows collective migration, and differentially affects barrier readouts.The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

a Apical confocal images of Caco-2 monolayers after 2 h co-culture with the indicated E. histolytica strains. E-cadherin (green), F-actin (phalloidin, red), nuclei (Hoechst, blue). scale bars as indicated. b, c Cell-shape quantification from apical planes in (a), pooled from 5 imaging fields per condition (each dot = one cell; total cell n in Source Data). b Form factor (FF = 4π·area/perimeter²). Adjusted P: HA-KERP2 < 0.0001; KERP2gs 0.0012. c Aspect ratio (major/minor axis). Adjusted P: HA-KERP2 0.0005; KERP2gs 0.1130. d Basal-plane phalloidin staining after 2 h co-culture highlighting cortical actin remodeling; scale bars as indicated. e Wound-healing assay with recombinant proteins. Relative wound area (%) over time after 2 h treatment with His-GFP-KERP2 (1–5 µM), His-GFP, or untreated. n = 2 technical replicates (imaging fields); biological replicates in Fig. S10d. Points show mean ± SD; linear fits (slope annotated). Exact P values (vs untreated): His-GFP (5 µM) 0.7941; His-GFP–KERP2 (3 µM) < 0.0001; His-GFP–KERP2 (5 µM) < 0.0001. f TEER during co-culture with live parasites. Values normalized per well to pre-addition TEER and expressed as % of mean t = 0 (set to 100%). Curves show mean ± SD (n = 3 technical replicates); biological replicates in Fig. S11a–d. g Summary of (f). Violin plots; n = 3 technical replicates. Exact P values in Supplementary Data 8a (and on plot). h Recombinant proteins: TEER normalized to per-well baseline (%), mean t = 0 set to 100%. Points show mean ± SD (n = 3 technical replicates); biological replicates in Fig. S11e–f. Significance: ns, P ≥ 0.05; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001. Exact P values in Supplementary Data 8b. i Size-selective permeability (10-kDa RITC–dextran flux; final time point). Violin plots; n = 4 technical replicates, normalized to unexposed Caco-2; biological replicates in Fig. S11g–h. P: HAKERP2 vs HA 0.0002; KERP2gs vs psAP 0.0003. j Proposed working model of KERP2 linking parasite nuclear regulation to epithelial cytoskeletal remodeling and barrier disruption. Created in BioRender. Santos, H. (2026) https://BioRender.com/efd7t8x. All statistical analyses are described in the “Methods” (Statistics and reproducibility). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.

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