Trypanosoma cruzi extracellular amastigotes and host cell signaling: more pieces to the puzzle

Autor(es)

Ferreira, Eden R. ^[1] ; Bonfim-Melo, Alexis ^[1] ; Mortara, Renato A. ^[1] ; Bahia, Diana ^{[1, 2]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, Disciplina Parasito, BR-04023062 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Biol Geral, Inst Ciencias Biol, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo de Revisão
• Fonte: FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY; v. 3, 2012.
• Citações Web of Science: 12

Resumo

Among the different infective stages that Trypanosoma cruzi employs to invade cells, extracellular amastigotes (EAs) have recently gained attention by our group. This is true primarily because these amastigotes are able to infect cultured cells and animals, establishing a sustainable infective cycle. EAs are thus an excellent means of adaptation and survival for T cruzi, whose different infective stages each utilize unique mechanisms for attachment and penetration. Here we discuss some features of host cell invasion by EAs and the associated host cell signaling events that occur as part of the process. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 07/50551-2 - Identificação e caracterização molecular de proteínas quinases de Trypanosoma cruzi para o estudo da comunicação celular, modelagem molecular e desenho de drogas inibidoras: estudo dos parceiros das vias de sinalização focado na invasão de EA
• Beneficiário: Diana Bahia
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores