Cell Cycle Regulatory Proteins in the Liver in Murine Trypanosoma cruzi Infection

The liver is an important target of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Infection of CD-1 mice withT. cruzi (Brazil strain) resulted in parasitism of the liver, primarily in sinusoidal and Kupffercells. Immunoblot analysis revealed activation of extra cellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)during the acute and subacute period of infection, but p38 mitogen activated kinase (MAPK) andJNK were not activated. The activity of important cell cycle regulatory genes was also examinedin the liver following infection. There was increased expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E and cyclinA as well as proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) at 45, 60 and 215 days post infection. Inaddition, the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p27KIP1, p21WAF1 and the tumorsuppressor p53 were increased in the liver obtained from infected mice. Quantitative PCRrevealed increased abundance of mRNA for cyclins A, D1 and E. Interestingly, cyclin A and Eare ordinarily not found in the adult liver. Thus infection caused a reversion to a fetal/neonatalphenotype. These data provide a molecular basis for cell proliferation in the liver following T.cruzi infection.