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

Cruz, Mário Costa; Souza-Melo, Normanda; Silva, Cláudio Vieira da; DaRocha, Wanderson D.; Bahia, Diana; Araújo, Patrícia Rosa de; Teixeira, Silvana; Mortara, Renato Arruda

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0051804

Cited by 39 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Because G strain has been largely characterized as a low virulence strain [18], we speculated that members of the δ-amastins sub-family may constitute virulence factors that contributed to the infection capacity and parasite survival in the mammalian host. This hypothesis has been recently verified by experiments in which we over-expressed one δ-amastin gene in the G strain and showed that the transfected parasites have accelerated amastigote differentiation into trypomastigotes in in vitro infections as well as parasite dissemination in tissues after infection in mice [19]. It is also noteworthy that both β-amastins exhibited increased levels in epimastigotes of all strains analysed, indicating that this amastin isoform may be involved with parasite adaptation to the insect vector.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 54%

Distinct genomic organization, mRNA expression and cellular localization of members of two amastin sub-families present in Trypanosoma cruzi

Kangussu-Marcolino

Paiva²,

Araújo³

et al. 2013

BMC Microbiol

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundAmastins are surface glycoproteins (approximately 180 residues long) initially described in Trypanosoma cruzi as particularly abundant during the amastigote stage of this protozoan parasite. Subsequently, they have been found to be encoded by large gene families also present in the genomes of several species of Leishmania and in other Trypanosomatids. Although most amastin genes are organized in clusters associated with tuzin genes and are up-regulated in the intracellular stage of T. cruzi and Leishmania spp, distinct genomic organizations and mRNA expression patterns have also been reported.ResultsBased on the analysis of the complete genome sequences of two T. cruzi strains, we identified a total of 14 copies of amastin genes in T. cruzi and showed that they belong to two of the four previously described amastin subfamilies. Whereas δ-amastin genes are organized in two or more clusters with alternating copies of tuzin genes, the two copies of β-amastins are linked together in a distinct chromosome. Most T. cruzi amastins have similar surface localization as determined by confocal microscopy and western blot analyses. Transcript levels for δ-amastins were found to be up-regulated in amastigotes from several T. cruzi strains, except in the G strain, which is known to have low infection capacity. In contrast, in all strains analysed, β-amastin transcripts are more abundant in epimastigotes, the stage found in the insect vector.ConclusionsHere we showed that not only the number and diversity of T. cruzi amastin genes is larger than what has been predicted, but also their mode of expression during the parasite life cycle is more complex. Although most T. cruzi amastins have a similar surface localization, only δ-amastin genes have their expression up-regulated in amastigotes. The results showing that a sub-group of this family is up-regulated in epimastigotes, suggest that, in addition of their role in intracellular amastigotes, T. cruzi amastins may also serve important functions during the insect stage of the parasite life cycle. Most importantly, evidence for their role as virulence factors was also unveiled from the data showing that δ-amastin expression is down regulated in a strain presenting low infection capacity.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 54%

Distinct genomic organization, mRNA expression and cellular localization of members of two amastin sub-families present in Trypanosoma cruzi

Kangussu-Marcolino

Paiva²,

Araújo³

et al. 2013

BMC Microbiol

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Transfected G (Tc I, GFP) (Cruz et al , ) and CL (TcVI, DsRed) (Brener et al , ) parasite strains were cycled as epimastigotes in LIT medium or Vero cell culture monolayers as trypomastigotes, as previously described (Cruz et al , ). Trypanosoma expression construct (pTREX‐DsRm) containing DsRed fluorescent protein was prepared using standard protocols.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Transfected G (Tc I, GFP) (Cruz et al, 2012) and CL (TcVI, DsRed) (Brener et al, 1963) parasite strains were cycled as epimastigotes in LIT medium or Vero cell culture monolayers as trypomastigotes, as previously described (Cruz et al, 2012).…”

Section: Parasitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trypanosoma cruzi : single cell live imaging inside infected tissues

Ferreira

Orikaza

Cordero

et al. 2016

Cellular Microbiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SummaryAlthough imaging the live Trypanosoma cruzi parasite is a routine technique in most laboratories, identification of the parasite in infected tissues and organs has been hindered by their intrinsic opaque nature. We describe a simple method for in vivo observation of live single‐cell Trypanosoma cruzi parasites inside mammalian host tissues. BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice infected with DsRed‐CL or GFP‐G trypomastigotes had their organs removed and sectioned with surgical blades. Ex vivo organ sections were observed under confocal microscopy. For the first time, this procedure enabled imaging of individual amastigotes, intermediate forms and motile trypomastigotes within infected tissues of mammalian hosts.

show abstract

“…Cruz et al (2012) demonstrated that the treatment of HeLa cells with recombinant amastin, a surface glycoprotein abundant in amastigotes, reduced the infectivity of EA forms. Conversely, the ectopic T. cruzi expression of amastin accelerated differentiation of amastigotes into trypomastigotes.…”

Section: Eas Molecules Of Adhesion and Secretion: Invasion And Signalingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

et al. 2012

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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.

show abstract

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

Cited by 39 publications

References 43 publications

Distinct genomic organization, mRNA expression and cellular localization of members of two amastin sub-families present in Trypanosoma cruzi

Distinct genomic organization, mRNA expression and cellular localization of members of two amastin sub-families present in Trypanosoma cruzi

Trypanosoma cruzi : single cell live imaging inside infected tissues

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

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About