Calcineurin B of the human protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is involved in cell invasion.
During Trypanosoma cruzi cell invasion, signal transduction pathways are triggered in parasite and host cells, leading to a rise in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. We posed the question whether calcineurin (CaN), in particular the functional regulatory subunit CaNB, a Ca2+-binding EF-hand protein, was expressed in T. cruzi and whether it played a role in cell invasion. Here we report the cloning and characterization of CL strain CaNB gene, as well as the participation of CaNB in cell invasion. Treatment of metacyclic trypomastigotes (MT) or tissue-culture trypomastigotes (TCT) with the CaN inhibitors cyclosporin or cypermethrin strongly inhibited (62-64%) their entry into HeLa cells. In assays using anti-phospho-serine/threonine antibodies, a few proteins of MT were found to be dephosphorylated in a manner inhibitable by cyclosporin upon exposure to HeLa cell extract. The phosphatase activity of CaN was detected by a biochemical approach in both MT and TCT. Treatment of parasites with antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides directed to TcCaNB-CL, which reduced the expression of TcCaNB and affected TcCaN activity, resulted in approximately 50% inhibition of HeLa cell entry by MT or TCT. Given that TcCaNB-CL may play a key role in cell invasion and differs considerably in its primary structure from the human CaNB, it might be considered as a potential chemotherapeutic target.
Araya
Jorge E
JE
Molecular Parasitology Unit, Department of Medical Technology, University of Antofagasta, P.O. Box 170, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile. jearoj@yahoo.com
Cornejo
Alberto
A
Orrego
Patricio R
PR
Cordero
Esteban M
EM
Cortéz
Mauro
M
Olivares
Héctor
H
Neira
Ivan
I
Sagua
Hernán
H
da Silveira
José Franco
JF
Yoshida
Nobuko
N
González
Jorge
J
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D011722:Pyrethrins; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*
D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011722:Pyrethrins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C017160:cypermethrin; D016572:Cyclosporine; D019703:Calcineurin; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases