title: Human galectin-3 promotes Trypanosoma cruzi adhesion to human coronary artery smooth muscle cells.
abstract: Human galectin-3 binds to the surface of Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes and human coronary artery smooth muscle (CASM) cells. CASM cells express galectin-3 on their surface and secrete it. Exogenous galectin-3 increased the binding of T. cruzi to CASM cells. Trypanosome binding to CASM cells was enhanced when either T. cruzi or CASM cells were preincubated with galectin-3. Cells stably transfected with galectin-3 antisense show a dramatic decrease in galectin-3 expression and very little T. cruzi adhesion to cells. The addition of galectin-3 to these cells restores their initial capacity to bind to trypanosomes. Thus, host galectin-3 expression is required for T. cruzi adhesion to human cells and exogenous galectin-3 enhances this process, leading to parasite entry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA.
authors.forename: Yuliya Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Kleshchenko
authors.forename: Tapria N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Moody
authors.forename: Vyacheslav A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Furtak
authors.forename: Josiah
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ochieng
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Villalta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology*; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000469:parasitology*; D014162:Transfection; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3