Trypanosoma cruzi infection results in the reduced expression of caveolin-3 in the heart.
Caveolae are motile, membrane-bound compartments that contain a number of molecules that participate in cell signaling. Caveolins are protein markers of caveolae and function in a variety of biological processes. Caveolin-3 (Cav-3) is expressed in muscle cells and Cav-3 null mice display a cardiomyopathic phenotype. Ultrastructural cytochemistry, confocal microscopy and immunoblotting revealed a reduction in Cav-3 expression and an activation of ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) 48 hours after Trypanosoma cruzi infection of cultured cardiac myocytes. CD-1 mice infected with the Brazil strain of T. cruzi displayed reduced expression of Cav-3 and activation of ERK 66 days post infection (dpi).   By 180 dpi there was a normalization of these values. These data suggest that the reduction in Cav-3 expression and the activation of ERK during the early phase of infection may contribute to the pathogenesis of chagasic cardiomyopathy.
Adesse
Daniel
D
Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Lisanti
Michael P
MP
Spray
David C
DC
Machado
Fabiana S
FS
Meirelles
Maria de Nazareth
Mde N
Tanowitz
Herbert B
HB
Garzoni
Luciana Ribeiro
LR
D000818:Animals; D021941:Caveolae / Q000378:metabolism; D051244:Caveolin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi
D051244:Caveolin 3; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3