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A cysteine protease from Taenia solium metacestodes induce apoptosis in human CD4+ T-cells

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Abstract

Here we investigated whether the depletion of CD4+ lymphocytes, observed in mononuclear cells incubated with Taenia solium metacestode E/S products or with living cysts was due to apoptosis. Using the deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL), electron microscopy and DNA gel electrophoresis, we found signs of apoptosis in these cells. Results showed that cysteine protease activity was responsible for this effect, since E-64 prevented cell death in all cases. Electron microscopy studies showed that lymphocytes exhibited features of apoptosis such as cellular membrane integrity, strangling and fragmentation of nuclei, chromatin condensation, apoptotic bodies and loss of microvilli. In contrast, lymphocytes co-cultured with living metacestodes plus E-64 exhibited integrity of their structures. DNA fragmentation was detected by TUNEL assays and DNA gel electrophoresis. The results suggested that cell death induced by the cysteine protease from the T. solium metacestode may be involved in down-regulation of cell-mediated responses in infected hosts.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Armando Gomez Puyou for his critical evaluation. We thank Dr David A. Medina and Ariadna Molinari for their help in the language revision. This work was supported by grants from the Mexico-United States Foundation for Science 42-H-94, the National Council of Science and Technology (Mexico) 26372-M and the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The experiments comply with the current laws of Mexico where they were performed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, D.F. 04510, Mexico

    P. Tato, A. M. Fernández & S. Solano

  2. Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Cellular Physiology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, D.F. 04510, Mexico

    V. Borgonio, E. Garrido, J. Sepúlveda & J. L. Molinari

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  1. P. Tato
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  2. A. M. Fernández
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  3. S. Solano
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  4. V. Borgonio
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  5. E. Garrido
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  6. J. Sepúlveda
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  7. J. L. Molinari
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Correspondence to J. L. Molinari.

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Tato, P., Fernández, A.M., Solano, S. et al. A cysteine protease from Taenia solium metacestodes induce apoptosis in human CD4+ T-cells. Parasitol Res 92, 197–204 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-003-1008-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-003-1008-1

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