Chagas disease affects an estimate of 1,600,000 people in Argentina. This chronic disabling disease also constitutes a major health issue in Latin America. Its causative agent, the protozoan flagellate Trypanosoma cruzi, expresses a virulence factor known as trans-sialidase (TS) that cover the inability of the parasite to perform sialic acids synthesis de novo. TS transfer the sialyl residue from the mammal host proteins to the parasite surface, thus preventing its lysis by serum components and enabling the parasite to invade cells where to replicate. This virulence factor is also shed to the milieu being found in the bloodstream thus acting far from the infectious site/s. TS induce several alterations on the immune system including apoptosis of cellular components and modulation of CD4 T cells both at their elicitation and effector stages. We recently defined the distribution of the parasite surface protein components where the TS and mucins, the main acceptor of the sialyl residue transferred, are located in separate domains. Similarly happens with other unrelated proteins. Some proteins use the contractile vacuole as a pathway to reach the surface while others not. In this project, we propose to study the protein requirements to use this trafficking pathway, or been excluded from it, and the process associated with their final fate on different domains at the parasite surface. Because the TS constitute a central virulence factor of the parasite we will obtain parasites devoid of its expression to assess their ability to invade cells, replicate and induce pathogenesis in mammals. The ability of TSs to modulate the TH1/TH2/TH17 balance will be analyzed at the light of recent findings from our lab that might explain previous results from other researchers and been associated with the outcome of the infection.

Public Health Relevance

The trans-sialidases (TS) from Trypanosoma cruzi are virulence factors strongly involved in the parasite cell biology, invasion and pathogenesis. The TS parasite surface distribution and shedding requirements will be disclosed together with that for other proteins, particularly mucins. The TS relevance in the parasite cell biology and pathogenesis, particularly its involvement in the T cell phenotype balance will be disclosed.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01AI104531-06
Application #
9700541
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Pesce, John T
Project Start
2014-04-01
Project End
2024-03-31
Budget Start
2019-04-01
Budget End
2020-03-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2019
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Institute/Research/Biotechnology Fdn
Department
Type
DUNS #
978186778
City
San Martin
State
Country
Argentina
Zip Code
B 1650HMP
Cámara, María de Los Milagros; Cánepa, Gaspar E; Lantos, Andrés B et al. (2017) The Trypomastigote Small Surface Antigen (TSSA) regulates Trypanosoma cruzi infectivity and differentiation. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 11:e0005856
Mucci, Juan; Lantos, Andrés B; Buscaglia, Carlos A et al. (2017) The Trypanosoma cruzi Surface, a Nanoscale Patchwork Quilt. Trends Parasitol 33:102-112
Pascuale, Carla A; Burgos, Juan M; Postan, Miriam et al. (2017) Inactive trans-Sialidase Expression in iTS-null Trypanosoma cruzi Generates Virulent Trypomastigotes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 7:430
Lantos, Andrés B; Carlevaro, Giannina; Araoz, Beatriz et al. (2016) Sialic Acid Glycobiology Unveils Trypanosoma cruzi Trypomastigote Membrane Physiology. PLoS Pathog 12:e1005559
Ruiz Díaz, Pablo; Mucci, Juan; Meira, María Ana et al. (2015) Trypanosoma cruzi trans-sialidase prevents elicitation of Th1 cell response via interleukin 10 and downregulates Th1 effector cells. Infect Immun 83:2099-108
Niyogi, Sayantanee; Mucci, Juan; Campetella, Oscar et al. (2014) Rab11 regulates trafficking of trans-sialidase to the plasma membrane through the contractile vacuole complex of Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Pathog 10:e1004224