Role of cyclooxygenase-2 in Trypanosoma cruzi survival
in the early stages of parasite host-cell interaction |
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Authors: | Karen CM Moraes Lívia F Diniz Maria Terezinha Bahia |
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Institution: | 1.Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, SP, Brasil;2.Laboratório de Doença de Chagas, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brasil |
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Abstract: | Chagas disease, caused by the intracellular protozoan Trypanosoma
cruzi, is a serious health problem in Latin America. During this
parasitic infection, the heart is one of the major organs affected. The pathogenesis
of tissue remodelling, particularly regarding cardiomyocyte behaviour after parasite
infection and the molecular mechanisms that occur immediately following parasite
entry into host cells are not yet completely understood. When cells are infected with
T. cruzi, they develop an inflammatory response, in which
cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) catalyses rate-limiting steps in the arachidonic acid
pathway. However, how the parasite interaction modulates COX-2 activity is poorly
understood. In this study, the H9c2 cell line was used as our model and we
investigated cellular and biochemical aspects during the initial 48 h of parasitic
infection. Oscillatory activity of COX-2 was observed, which correlated with the
control of the pro-inflammatory environment in infected cells. Interestingly,
subcellular trafficking was also verified, correlated with the control of Cox-2 mRNA
or the activated COX-2 protein in cells, which is directly connected with the
assemble of stress granules structures. Our collective findings suggest that in the
very early stage of the T. cruzi-host cell interaction, the parasite
is able to modulate the cellular metabolism in order to survives. |
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Keywords: | cardiac cells Chagas disease enzyme activity fluorescence microscopy pro-inflammatory process subcellular trafficking |
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