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Trypanosoma cruzi: ubiquity expression of surface cruzipain molecules in TCI and TCII field isolates

Parasitology Research volume 107, pages 443–447 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Trypanosoma cruzi presents considerable genetic and protein profile polymorphism among different parasite populations. In a previous work, our group indicated cysteine and metalloprotease activities as good markers for separating T. cruzi I (TCI) from T. cruzi II (TCII) isolates, with higher heterogeneity among TCII isolates. Here, we have investigated the expression level of surface cruzipain in 16 field isolates belonging to the genotype TCI (n = 8) and TCII (n = 8) of T. cruzi. By means of flow cytometry analyses, using an anti-cruzipain polyclonal antibody, we observed a highly heterogeneous pattern of surface cruzipain molecules in these isolates, independently of their genotypes, cell measurements (size and granularity), original hosts, or biomes. However, fluorescence labeling tended to be stronger in TCI than in TCII population. Interestingly, isolates that expressed higher levels of surface cruzipain also yielded elevated levels of metacyclogenesis in vitro.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundação Universitária José Bonifácio (FUJB), and Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ). The authors thank Dr. Ana Jansen (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz) for kindly providing T. cruzi wild isolates and Dr. Elize Hayashi (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ) for the valuable suggestions on flow cytometry data analyses. The experiments comply with Brazilian current laws.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Patrícia Fampa & Marcel I. Ramirez

  2. Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Bioquímica Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Ilha do Fundão, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    André L. S. Santos

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  1. Patrícia Fampa
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  2. André L. S. Santos
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  3. Marcel I. Ramirez
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Correspondence to Marcel I. Ramirez.

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Fampa, P., Santos, A.L.S. & Ramirez, M.I. Trypanosoma cruzi: ubiquity expression of surface cruzipain molecules in TCI and TCII field isolates. Parasitol Res 107, 443–447 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-1888-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-1888-9

Keywords

  • Field Isolate
  • Trypanosoma Cruzi
  • Wild Isolate
  • Metalloprotease Activity
  • Metacyclic Trypomastigotes