title: Trypanosoma cruzi: alpha-2-macroglobulin regulates host cell apoptosis induced by the parasite infection in vitro.
abstract: A2M is a broad spectrum proteinase inhibitor and cytokine carrier, besides presenting anti-apoptotic activity through the binding to its receptor, LRP. During Trypanosoma cruzi infection, apoptosis of host cells and intracellular parasites is commonly observed both in vivo and in vitro. Since plasma as well as tissue A2M levels are increased in both murine and human acute T. cruzi infection, we evaluated the possible role of A2M (its methylamine transformed Fast form-A2M-F) in regulating apoptotic events in peritoneal macrophages and cardiomyocytes during in vitro interaction with the parasite. Our data showed that DNA fragmentation (a hallmark of apoptosis) of both host cells and parasites was inhibited by A2M-F. Impaired apoptosis was also noted when A2M-F was added to the cultures maintained under serum deprivation. In addition, macrophages from C57/BL6 mice, known to display higher LRP levels as compared to those of C3H lineage, displayed higher reduction in the apoptotic levels during the A2M-F treatment.
authors.affiliation: Lab. Biologia Celular, Departamento de Ultra-estrutura e Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: De Souza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meuser-Batista
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Araújo-Jorge
authors.forename: M N C
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Soeiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D026502:LDL-Receptor Related Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D026502:LDL-Receptor Related Proteins; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins