Molecular mechanisms of host cell invasion by Trypanosoma cruzi.

ABSTRACT

The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, is an obligate intracellular protozoan pathogen. Overlapping mechanisms ensure successful infection, yet the relationship between these cellular events and clinical disease remains obscure. This review explores the process of cell invasion from the perspective of cell surface interactions, intracellular signaling, modulation of the host cytoskeleton and endosomal compartment, and the intracellular innate immune response to infection.