Natural Programmed Cell Death in T. cruzi Epimastigotes Maintained in Axenic Cultures
Artículo
![Thumbnail](/themes/Mirage2/images/cubierta.jpg)
Open/ Download
Publication date
2008-10-15Metadata
Show full item record
Cómo citar
Jiménez, V.
Cómo citar
Natural Programmed Cell Death in T. cruzi Epimastigotes Maintained in Axenic Cultures
Author
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasitic protozoan, is the agent of Chagas' disease or American trypanosomiasis, an endemic pathology in Latin America, affecting up to 18 million people, with high public health costs. Programmed cell death (PCD) has many functions in development and tissue remodeling in metazoans. In protozoa, it could represent concomitant or alternative mechanisms for clonal selection, immune response evasion, and population size regulation. In this work, we describe the natural occurrence of PCD in T. cruzi epimastigotes during the stationary phase of growth in axenic culture or under nutrient. deprivation. Thus, we have observed phosphatidylserine externalization, cellular volume decrease, caspase-like protein activity, and DNA fragmentation. Additionally, serum deprivation also induces autophagic characteristics such as monodansylcadaverine-labeled vesicles accumulation and redistribution of proteins homologous to Atg8. In agreement with our results, apoptosis may play an important role in parasite survival. Then, identification and modulation of molecular targets inducing programmed cell death in T. cruzi may lead to new potential therapeutic approaches for Chagas' disease. J. Cell. Biochem. 105: 688-698, 2008.
Patrocinador
Bicentenary Research Projects ACT29
Red 07
CONICYT-Chile
Identifier
URI: https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/128365
DOI: 10.1002/jcb.21864
ISSN: 0730-2312
Quote Item
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY Volume: 105 Issue: 3 Pages: 688-698 Published: OCT 15 2008
Collections