title: Oestradiol and progesterone differentially alter cytoskeletal protein expression and flame cell morphology in Taenia crassiceps.
abstract: We examined the effects of oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) on cytoskeletal protein expression in the helminth Taenia crassiceps - specifically actin, tubulin and myosin. These proteins assemble into flame cells, which constitute the parasite excretory system. Total protein extracts were obtained from E2- and P4-treated T. crassiceps cysticerci and untreated controls, and analysed by one- and two-dimensional protein electrophoresis, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and videomicroscopy. Exposure of T. crassiceps cysticerci to E2 and P4 induced differential protein expression patterns compared with untreated controls. Changes in actin, tubulin and myosin expression were confirmed by flow cytometry of parasite cells and immunofluorescence. In addition, parasite morphology was altered in response to E2 and P4 versus controls. Flame cells were primarily affected at the level of the ciliary tuft, in association with the changes in actin, tubulin and myosin. We conclude that oestradiol and progesterone act directly on T. crassiceps cysticerci, altering actin, tubulin and myosin expression and thus affecting the assembly and function of flame cells. Our results increase our understanding of several aspects of the molecular crosstalk between host and parasite, which might be useful in designing anthelmintic drugs that exclusively impair parasitic proteins which mediate cell signaling and pathogenic reproduction and establishment.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Edificio A, 2do piso, Ciudad Universitaria, México DF 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Javier R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, México DF 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ostoa-Saloma
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, México DF 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: M Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Palacios-Arreola
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, México DF 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Azucena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruíz-Rosado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología Biofísica y Neurociencias, CINVESTAV-IPN, Av. Instituto Politecnico Nacional 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, Gustavo A. Madero, México DF 07360, Mexico.
authors.forename: Pedro L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Orellana
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Edificio A, 2do piso, Ciudad Universitaria, México DF 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Reynoso-Ducoing
authors.affiliation: Centro de investigación sobre enfermedades infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, 62100 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Nava-Castro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, México DF 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martínez-Velázquez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina Experimental, Hospital General de México, AP 06726, México DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Galileo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Escobedo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, México DF 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Elizabeth G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Ibarra-Coronado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Edificio A, 2do piso, Ciudad Universitaria, México DF 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valverde-Islas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, México DF 04510, Mexico. Electronic address: jmontor66@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morales-Montor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013621:Taenia / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol
keywords: Cytoskeleton; Flame cells; Helminth; Oestradiol; Progesterone; Taenia crassiceps