Participation of concanavalin A binding sites in the interaction between Trypanosoma cruzi and macrophages

Untreated mouse peritoneal macrophages as well as macrophages treated with concanavalin A (ConA) were incubated in the presence of untreated or ConA-treated epimastigotes and trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi. Treatment of epimastigotes or trypomastigotes with ConA increased or decreased their uptake by macrophages, respectively. Treatment of their macrophages with ConA reduced by 70% and increased by five times the ingestion of epimastigotes and trypomastigotes, respectively. These results are discussed in relation to previous studies on the mobility of ConA receptors in the membrane of the parasite. Using fluorescein- or ferritin-labelled ConA we observed that ConA binding sites located on the plasma membrane of macrophages are internalized during endocytosis of T. cruzi, and observed in association with the membrane of the endocytic vacuole. Vacuoles without parasites showed a uniform distribution of ConA binding sites, while these sites were distributed in patches in vacuoles containing parasites. These results, in association with others previously reported, suggest the involvement of glycoproteins and/or glycolipids localized on the cell surface of T. cruzi and macrophages during the T. cruzi-macrophage interaction.