Trypanosoma cruzi in marsupial didelphids (Philander frenata and Didelhis marsupialis): differences in the humoral immune response in natural and experimental infections.
Philander frenata and Didelphis marsupialis harbor parasitism by Trypanosoma cruzi without developing any apparent disease and on the contrary to D. marsupialis, P. frenata maintains parasitism by T. cruzi II subpopulations. Here we compared the humoral immune response of the two didelphids naturally and experimentally infected with T. cruzi II group, employing SDS-PAGE/Western blot techniques and by an Indirect immunofluorescence assay. We also studied the histopathological pattern of naturally and experimentally infected P. frenata with T. cruzi. P. frenata sera recognized more antigens than D. marsupialis, and the recognition pattern did not show any change over the course of the follow up of both didelphid species. Polypeptides of 66 and 90kDa were the most prominent antigens recognized by both species in the soluble and enriched membrane fractions. P. frenata recognized intensely also a 45kDa antigen. Our findings indicate that: 1) there were no quantitative or qualitative differences in the patent or subpatent phases in the recognition pattern of P. frenata; 2) the significant differences in the recognition pattern of parasitic antigens by P. frenata and D. marsupialis sera suggest that they probably "learned" to live in harmony with T. cruzi by different strategies; 3) although P. frenata do not display apparent disease, tissular lesions tended to be more severe than has been described in D. marsupialis; and 4) Both didelphids probably acquired infection by T. cruzi after their evolutionary divergence.
Legey
Ana Paula
AP
Laborat rio de Biologia de Tripanosomat deos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Funda  o Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Pinho
Ana Paula
AP
Xavier
Samanta C C
SC
Marchevsky
Renato
R
Carreira
João Carlos
JC
Leon
Leonor L
LL
Jansen
Ana Maria
AM
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001938:Brazil; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D009893:Opossums / Q000469:parasitology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan