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Microarray data demonstrate that Trypanosoma cruzi downregulates the expression of apoptotic genes in BALB/c

Deborah Moore-Lai1, Ed Rowland

  • 1Ohio University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, 342 Irvine Hall, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA. deborahmoorelai@yahoo.com

The Journal of Parasitology
|September 11, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Trypanosoma cruzi infection downregulates host cell apoptosis pathways in BALB/c fibroblasts. This parasite manipulation of the tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) pathway likely aids infection establishment by reducing cell death.

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Parasitology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Parasites manipulate host cell apoptosis to establish infections.
  • Pathogens can induce or inhibit host cell death pathways, such as Fas-FasL or Bcl-2 family genes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how Trypanosoma cruzi affects the expression of host cell genes within the tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) apoptotic pathway.
  • To determine if T. cruzi modulates host cell apoptosis in BALB/c fibroblasts.

Main Methods:

  • Gene expression analysis using microarray technology.
  • Comparison of gene expression profiles between uninfected and T. cruzi-infected BALB/c fibroblasts.

Main Results:

  • T. cruzi infection leads to the downregulation of gene expression in the TNFR1 apoptotic pathway.
  • Infection by T. cruzi decreases the expression of genes that promote host cell apoptosis in BALB/c fibroblasts.

Conclusions:

  • Trypanosoma cruzi actively downregulates the TNFR1 apoptotic pathway in host cells.
  • This downregulation of host cell apoptosis by T. cruzi likely facilitates parasite survival and infection progression.

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