title: Trypanosoma cruzi alters adherens junctions in cardiomyocytes.
abstract: We analyzed the distribution and expression of cadherin and beta-catenin during Trypanosoma cruzi-cardiomyocyte interaction. Confocal microscopy revealed cadherin associated with beta-catenin at the cell-cell contacts. After 24h of infection, the spatial distribution and expression of both adherens junction (AJ) proteins remained unaltered. In contrast, loss of N-cadherin-catenin complex was visualized in highly infected cardiomyocytes. Immunoblotting assays corroborated the spatial disorder, showing a 46% reduction in both N-cadherin and beta-catenin expression at later infection (72h of infection). Our data demonstrate that T. cruzi infection disturbs AJs, which can result in loss of cardiac tension and may contribute to the cardiac dysfunctions present in T. cruzi infection.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ultra-estrutura Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiana G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: de Melo
authors.forename: Maria de Nazareth S L
authors.initials: Mde N
authors.lastname: Meirelles
authors.forename: Mirian Claudia S
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D051176:beta Catenin