The involvement of FAK and Src in the invasion of cardiomyocytes by Trypanosoma cruzi.

The activation of signaling pathways involving protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) has been demonstrated during Trypanosoma cruzi invasion. Herein, we describe the participation of FAK/Src in the invasion of cardiomyocytes by T. cruzi. The treatment of cardiomyocytes with genistein, a PTK inhibitor, significantly reduced T. cruzi invasion. Also, PP1, a potent Src-family protein inhibitor, and PF573228, a specific FAK inhibitor, also inhibited T. cruzi entry; maximal inhibition was achieved at concentrations of 25µM PP1 (53% inhibition) and 40µM PF573228 (50% inhibition). The suppression of FAK expression in siRNA-treated cells and tetracycline-uninduced Tet-FAK(WT)-46 cells significantly reduced T. cruzi invasion. The entry of T. cruzi is accompanied by changes in FAK and c-Src expression and phosphorylation. An enhancement of FAK activation occurs during the initial stages of T. cruzi-cardiomyocyte interaction (30 and 60min), with a concomitant increase in the level of c-Src expression and phosphorylation, suggesting that FAK/Src act as an integrated signaling pathway that coordinates parasite entry. These data provide novel insights into the signaling pathways that are involved in cardiomyocyte invasion by T. cruzi. A better understanding of the signal transduction networks involved in T. cruzi invasion may contribute to the development of more effective therapies for the treatment of Chagas' disease.

Trypanosoma cruzi infection induces a global host cell response in cardiomyocytes.

Chagas' disease, caused by the hemoflagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, affects millions of people in South and Central America. Chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy, the most devastating manifestation of this disease, occurs in approximately one-third of infected individuals. Events associated with the parasite's tropism for and invasion of cardiomyocytes have been the focus of intense investigation in recent years. In the present study, we use murine microarrays to investigate the cellular response caused by invasion of primary murine cardiomyocytes by T. cruzi trypomastigotes. These studies identified 353 murine genes that were differentially expressed during the early stages of invasion and infection of these cells. Genes associated with the immune response, inflammation, cytoskeleton organization, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, apoptosis, cell cycle, and oxidative stress are among those affected during the infection. Our data indicate that T. cruzi induces broad modulations of the host cell machinery in ways that provide insight into how the parasite survives, replicates, and persists in the infected host and ultimately defines the clinical outcome of the infection.

Differential tissue tropism of Trypanosoma cruzi strains: an in vitro study.

We have previously demonstrated selection favoring the JG strain of Trypanosoma cruzi in hearts of BALB/c mice that were chronically infected with an equal mixture of the monoclonal JG strain and a clone of the Colombian strain, Col1.7G2. To evaluate whether cell invasion efficiency drives this selection, we infected primary cultures of BALB/c cardiomyocytes using these same T. cruzi populations. Contrary to expectation, Col1.7G2 parasites invaded heart cell cultures in higher numbers than JG parasites; however, intracellular multiplication of JG parasites was more efficient than that of Col1.7G2 parasites. This phenomenon was only observed for cardiomyocytes and not for cultured Vero cells. Double infections (Col1.7G2 + JG) showed similar results. Even though invasion might influence tissue selection, our data strongly suggest that intracellular development is important to determine parasite tissue tropism.

Trypanosoma cruzi alters adherens junctions in cardiomyocytes.

We analyzed the distribution and expression of cadherin and beta-catenin during Trypanosoma cruzi-cardiomyocyte interaction. Confocal microscopy revealed cadherin associated with beta-catenin at the cell-cell contacts. After 24h of infection, the spatial distribution and expression of both adherens junction (AJ) proteins remained unaltered. In contrast, loss of N-cadherin-catenin complex was visualized in highly infected cardiomyocytes. Immunoblotting assays corroborated the spatial disorder, showing a 46% reduction in both N-cadherin and beta-catenin expression at later infection (72h of infection). Our data demonstrate that T. cruzi infection disturbs AJs, which can result in loss of cardiac tension and may contribute to the cardiac dysfunctions present in T. cruzi infection.

Trypanosoma cruzi heparin-binding proteins and the nature of the host cell heparan sulfate-binding domain.

Trypanosoma cruzi invasion is mediated by receptor-ligand recognition between the surfaces of both parasite and target cell. We have previously demonstrated the role of heparan sulfate proteoglycan in the attachment and invasion of T. cruzi in cardiomyocytes. Herein, we have isolated the T. cruzi heparin-binding proteins (HBP-Tc) and investigated the nature of cardiomyocyte heparan sulfate (HS)-binding site to the parasite surface ligand. Two major heparin-binding proteins with molecular masses of 65.8 and 59 kDa were observed in total extract of amastigote and trypomastigote forms of T. cruzi. Hydrophobic [S(35)]methionine labeled proteins eluted from heparin-sepharose affinity chromatography also revealed both proteins in trypomastigotes but only the 59 kDa is strongly recognized by biotin-conjugated glycosaminoglycans. Competition assays were performed to analyze the role of sulfated proteoglycans, including heparin, keratan sulfate and both acetylated and highly sulfated domains of heparan sulfate, in the recognition and invasion process of T. cruzi. Significant inhibitions of 84% and 35% in the percentage of infection were revealed after treatment of the parasites with heparin and the N-acetylated/ N-sulfated heparan sulfate domain, respectively, suggesting the important role of the glycuronic acid and NS glucosamine domain of the HS chain in the recognition of the HBP-Tc during the T. cruzi-cardiomyocyte interaction.

Trypanosoma cruzi infection disrupts vinculin costameres in cardiomyocytes.

Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy is an important manifestation of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, leading to cardiac dysfunction and serious arrhythmias. We have here investigated by indirect immunofluorescence assay the distribution of vinculin, a focal adhesion protein with a major role in the transmission of contraction force, during the T. cruzi-cardiomyocyte infection in vitro and in vivo. No change in vinculin distribution was observed after 24 h of infection, where control and T. cruzi-infected cardiomyocytes displayed vinculin localized at costameres and intercalated discs. On the other hand, a clear disruption of vinculin costameric distribution was noted after 72 h of infection. A significant reduction in the levels of vinculin expression was observed at all times of infection. In murine experimental Chagas' disease, alteration in the vinculin distribution was also detected in the infected myocardium, with no costameric staining in infected myocytes and irregular alignment of intercalated discs in cardiac fibers. These data suggest that the disruption of costameric vinculin distribution and the enlargement of interstitial space due to inflammatory infiltration may contribute to the reduction of transmission of cardiac contraction force, leading to alterations in the heart function in Chagas' disease.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans mediate the invasion of cardiomyocytes by Trypanosoma cruzi.

Cytoadherence is an important step for the invasion of a mammalian host cell by Trypanosoma cruzi. Cell surface macromolecules are implicated in the T. cruzi-cardiomyocyte recognition process. Therefore, we investigated the role of cell surface proteoglycans during this invasion process and analyzed their expression after the parasite infected the target cells. Treatment of trypomastigote forms of T. cruzi with soluble heparan sulfate resulted in a significant inhibition in successful invasion, while chondroitin sulfate had no effect. Removal of sulfated glycoconjugates from the cardiomyocyte surface using glycosaminoglycan (GAG) lyases demonstrated the specific binding of the parasites to heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Infection levels were reduced by 42% whenthe host cells were previously treated with heparitinase II. No changes were detected in the expression of GAGs infected cardiomyocytes even after 96 h of infection. Our data demonstrate that heparan sulfate proteoglycans, but not chondroitin sulfate, mediate both attachment and invasion of cardiomyocytes by T. cruzi.