Trypanosoma cruzi: Role of delta-Amastin on Extracellular Amastigote Cell Invasion and Differentiation

Autor(es)

Cruz, Mario C. ^[1] ; Souza-Melo, Normanda ^[2] ; da Silva, Claudio Vieira ^[3] ; DaRocha, Wanderson Duarte ^[2] ; Bahia, Diana ^[1] ; Araujo, Patricia R. ^[4] ; Teixeira, Santuza R. ^[4] ; Mortara, Renato A. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Escola Paulista Med UNIFESP, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Parana, Dept Bioquim & Biol Mol, BR-80060000 Curitiba, Parana - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Uberlandia, Disciplina Imunol, Inst Ciencias Biomed, BR-38400 Uberlandia, MG - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Bioquim & Imunol, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: PLoS One; v. 7, n. 12 DEC 18 2012.
• Citações Web of Science: 19

Resumo

Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan parasite that comprises different phylogenetic groups and is the causative agent of Chagas' disease. Different T. cruzi strains present differences in infectivity in in vitro and in vivo experimental models, which are likely related to the expression of different virulence factors. Amastin is a surface glycoprotein abundantly expressed on the intracellular mammalian amastigote form of the parasite. In this study, we showed that a highly infective strain (G strain) of extracellular amastigote (EA) invasive forms expressed reduced RNA levels of amastin compared to a less infective strain (CL). The treatment of HeLa cells with recombinant delta-amastin reduced infectivity of EA forms. However, the ectopic expression of delta-amastin accelerated amastigote differentiation into trypomastigotes. Corroborating the virulence behavior in association with amastin expression, the EAs overexpressing amastin were precociously and robustly observed in the liver of susceptible mouse strains (A/JUnib), whereas parasitemia was never detected in in vivo assays. This is the first report on the regulatory role of amastin in the course of both in vitro and in vivo T. cruzi infection. Citation: Cruz MC, Souza- Melo N, da Silva CV, DaRocha WD, Bahia D, et al. (2012) Trypanosoma cruzi: Role of delta-Amastin on Extracellular Amastigote Cell Invasion and Differentiation. PLoS ONE 7(12): e51804. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0051804 (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/51475-3 - Biologia molecular e celular do parasitismo por Trypanosoma cruzi
• Beneficiário: José Franco da Silveira Filho
• Linha de fomento: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 06/61450-0 - Estudos moleculares do Trypanosoma cruzi e de sua interação com células e fatores do hospedeiro in vitro e in vivo
• Beneficiário: José Franco da Silveira Filho
• Linha de fomento: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• 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
• Linha de fomento: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Apoio a Jovens Pesquisadores