Molecular analysis of early host cell infection by Trypanosoma cruzi.
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas heart disease, infects heart and other cells leading to cardiac arrest frequently followed by death. The disease affects millions of individuals in the Americas and is posing health problems because of blood transmission in the US due to large Latin American immigration. Since the current drugs present serious side effects and do not cure the chronic infection, it is critically important to understand the early process of cellular infection at the molecular and structural levels to design novel inhibitors to block T. cruzi infection. In this review, the authors critically analyze the molecular and cellular basis of early T. cruzi infection and discuss the future directions in this area. The candidate T. cruzi invasive genes and host genes involved in the process of early infection are just beginning to be understood. The trypanosome invasive proteins are excellent targets for intervention. The progress made in the cell biology of T. cruzi infection will also facilitate the development of novel cell-based therapies to ameliorate the disease.
Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immune Response, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, 1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Blvd., Nashville, TN 37208-3599, USA. fvillalta@mmc.edu
Fernando
F
Villalta
M Nia
MN
Madison
Yuliya Y
YY
Kleshchenko
Pius N
PN
Nde
Maria F
MF
Lima
D000818:Animals; D047390:Casein Kinase II / Q000378:metabolism; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000235:genetics; D000085822:Prolyl Oligopeptidases; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*
D006023:Glycoproteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D047390:Casein Kinase II; C069715:trans-sialidase; D009439:Neuraminidase; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C000705287:PREPL protein, human; D000085822:Prolyl Oligopeptidases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C063214:cruzipain