Tridimensional ultrastructure and glycolipid pattern studies of Trypanosoma dionisii.
Trypanosoma (Schizotrypanum) dionisii is a non-pathogenic bat trypanosome closely related to Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chaga's disease. Both kinetoplastids present similar morphological stages and are able to infect mammalian cells in culture. In the present study we examined 3D ultrastructure aspects of the two species by serial sectioning epimastigote and trypomastigote forms, and identified common carbohydrate epitopes expressed in T. dionisii, T. cruzi and Leishmania major. A major difference in 3D morphology was that T. dionisii epimastigote forms present larger multivesicular structures, restricted to the parasite posterior region. These structures could be related to T. cruzi reservosomes and are also rich in cruzipain, the major cysteine-proteinase of T. cruzi. We analyzed the reactivity of two monoclonal antibodies: MEST-1 directed to galactofuranose residues of glycolipids purified from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, and BST-1 directed to glycolipids purified from T. cruzi epimastigotes. Both antibodies were reactive with T. dionisii epimastigotes by indirect immunofluorescense, but we noted differences in the location and intensity of the epitopes, when compared to T. cruzi. In summary, despite similar features in cellular structure and life cycle of T. dionisii and T. cruzi, we observed a unique morphological characteristic in T. dionisii that deserves to be explored.
Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 740, São Paulo, SP, 04023-900, Brazil. Electronic address: castro.oliveira@unifesp.br.
Miriam Pires de Castro
MP
Oliveira
Thiago Cesar Prata
TC
Ramos
Adriana Maria V N
AM
Pinheiro
Silvio
S
Bertini
Helio Kiyoshi
HK
Takahashi
Anita Hilda
AH
Straus
Edna Freymuller
EF
Haapalainen
D006017:Glycolipids / Q000032:analysis*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D006017:Glycolipids
3D reconstruction; Epimastigote; Glycolipid; Tridimensional ultrastructure; Trypanosoma dionisii