Identification of factors that induce the release of microvesicles containing surface molecules of Trypanosoma Cruzi involved in host cell invasion

• Grant number: 16/07159-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2016
• End date: June 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Nobuko Yoshida
• Grantee: Guilherme Hideki Takahashi Sant'Ana
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Recent studies have indicated that metacyclic forms of Trypanosoma cruzi spontaneously release surface molecules to the medium, either in vesicles or in a soluble form. There are also indications that different strains of T. cruzi release the referred molecules in differentiated manner and dependent on the medium, influencing the host cell invasion. The factors that determine the differential release are not known. Signaling cascades that are differentially activated during invasion in metacyclic forms of poorly invasive strains, such as the G strain, or highly invasive strains as the CL strain, could have a role in the process of shedding of surface molecules, in particular of gp82 and gp90, which function as mediator and negative regulator of cell invasion. To address that question and identify the factors involved in the release of gp82 and gp90 by G and CL strain metacyclic forms, we intend to: I) analyze by Western blot the levels of gp82 and gp90 molecules released in different media by parasites treated or not with diverse drugs that interfere with components of the signaling cascades, II) examine the kinetics of release of gp82 and gp90 in different media by parasites treated or not with various drugs, III) determine the ability of cell invasion of strains G and CL in absence and in the presence of parasite conditioned medium obtained under different conditions.