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Current understanding of the Trypanosoma cruzi-cardiomyocyte interaction

Claudia M Calvet1, Tatiana G Melo, Luciana R Garzoni

  • 1Laboratório de Ultra-estrutura Celular, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Frontiers in Immunology
|November 2, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Trypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas disease, often leading to heart damage. This review details how the parasite interacts with heart cells, invades them, and affects their function during infection.

Area of Science:

  • Parasitology
  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, frequently results in cardiac impairment.
  • Understanding parasite-host interactions is crucial for Chagas disease pathogenesis.
  • T. cruzi employs diverse strategies for host establishment and persistence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on Trypanosoma cruzi-cardiomyocyte interactions.
  • To elucidate molecular mechanisms of parasite recognition and invasion.
  • To examine the impact of intracellular parasite development on host cells.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of T. cruzi-cardiomyocyte interactions.
  • Analysis of molecular recognition and invasion pathways.
  • Examination of intracellular parasite effects on host cell structure and response.

Main Results:

  • Key molecules mediating T. cruzi and cardiomyocyte recognition identified.
  • Mechanisms of T. cruzi invasion into host cells detailed.
  • Intracellular parasite development impacts cardiomyocyte structure and molecular signaling.

Conclusions:

  • T. cruzi-cardiomyocyte interactions are central to Chagas disease heart pathology.
  • Understanding these interactions offers targets for therapeutic interventions.
  • Further research into parasite-host molecular dialogue is warranted.

Keywords:
Trypanosoma cruziapoptosiscardiomyocytecell junctioncell recognitioncytoskeletonendocytosisextracellular matrix

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