Trypanosoma cruzi: Maintenance in Culture Modify Gene and Antigenic Expression of Metacyclic Trypomastigotes

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Abstract

In this study we examined whether the maintenance of Trypanosoma cruzi by long-time in axenic culture produces changes in gene expression and antigenic profiles. The studies were made with a Dm30L-clone from a low-virulent strain and a non-cloned virulent EP-strain of T. cruzi. Both parasites were maintained, for at least seven years, by successive alternate passage triatomine/mouse (triatomine condition), or by serial passage in axenic medium (culture condition). The comparison of the [35S]methionine metabolic labeling products of virulent and non-virulent parasites by 2D-SDS-PAGE, clearly indicates that the expression of metacyclic trypomastigotes (but not of epimastigotes) proteins have been altered by laboratory maintenance conditions. Western blot analysis of EP and Dm 30L-epimastigotes using a serum anti-epimastigotes revealed that although most of antigens are conserved, four antigens are characteristics of triatomine condition parasites, and three other are characteristics of culture condition parasites. Anti-metacyclics serum revealed significative differences in EP- and Dm30L-metacyclic trypomastigotes from triatomine condition. However, avirulent metacyclic forms were antigenically very similar. These results suggest that besides a possible selection of avirulent subpopulation from T. cruzi strains genetically heterogeneous when maintained by long time in axenic culture, changes in virulence might be due to post-translational modifications of the antigens induced by the absence of the natural alternability (vertebrate-invertebrate) in the life-cycle of T. cruzi.

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Contreras, V. T., De Lima, A. R., & Zorrilla, G. (1998). Trypanosoma cruzi: Maintenance in Culture Modify Gene and Antigenic Expression of Metacyclic Trypomastigotes. Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 93(6), 753–760. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0074-02761998000600011

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