Modulation of the cell cycle and survival of the host cell by Trypanosoma cruzi proteins

• Grant number: 17/12388-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2017
• End date: December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Jose Giordano
• Grantee: Luiza Bitencourt de Carvalho Terci Coimbra
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas' disease, has a part of its life cycle within the host cells. Therefore, the parasite needs to interact with intracellular proteins, without affecting the survival of the host cell, for the infection to succeed. The gp85 / trans-sialidases comprise a superfamily of T. cruzi proteins important for the infection process. These proteins are also expressed by the intracellular form of the parasite. Our group demonstrated that the interaction between gp85 / trans-sialidases and intermediate filament proteins present on the surface of host cells is important for adhesion and invasion of the parasite. However, the relevance of these proteins within the cell is still not well understood. In this project we will study the effect of intracellular expression of the gp85 protein on the cell cycle and on the survival of the host cell. With this knowledge, we can better understand the importance of this large family of proteins in the cell cycle of the parasite, not only in cell adhesion and invasion, but also in the host cell cytoplasm. (AU)