title: Decreased cruzipain and gp85/trans-sialidase family protein expression contributes to loss of Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigote virulence.
abstract: Two cell lines derived from a single Trypanosoma cruzi clone by long-term passaging generated a highly virulent (C8C3hvir) and a low virulent (C8C3lvir) cell line. The C8C3hvir cell line was highly infective and lethal to Balb/c mice, and the C8C3lvir cell line was three- to five-fold less infective to mouse cardiomyocytes than C8C3hvir. The highly virulent T. cruzi cell line abundantly expressed the major cysteine proteinase cruzipain (Czp), complement regulatory protein (CRP) and trans-sialidase (TS), all of which are known to act as virulence factors in this parasite. The in vitro invasion capacity and in vivo Balb/c mouse infectiveness of the highly virulent strain was strongly reduced by pre-treatment with antisense oligonucleotides targeting TS or CRP or with E64d. Based on these results, we conclude that decreased levels of TS, CRP and Czp expression could contribute to loss of T. cruzi trypomastigote virulence.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: San Francisco
authors.affiliation: Experimental Physiology Laboratory (EPhyL), Antofagasta Institute, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: Iván
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barría
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: Bessy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: Iván
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Neira
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: Hernán
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sagua
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: Jorge E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Araya
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: National University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Anibal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zailberger
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Catalán
authors.affiliation: Applied Microbiology and Extremophiles Laboratory, Chemical Engineering Department, North Catholic University, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Remonsellez
authors.affiliation: Experimental Physiology Laboratory (EPhyL), Antofagasta Institute, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile. Electronic address: jorge.gonzalez@uantof.cl.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: González
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C103951:complement regulatory protein, Trypanosoma cruzi; C069715:trans-sialidase; D009439:Neuraminidase; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C063214:cruzipain
keywords: Cruzipain; Genetically related cell lines; Gp85/trans-sialidase family; Trypanosoma cruzi; Virulence