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A ligand that Trypanosoma cruzi uses to bind to mammalian cells to initiate infection
Author(s) -
Villalta Fernando,
Smith Cassandra M,
Ruiz-Ruano Antonio,
Lima Maria F
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(01)02853-8
Subject(s) - trypanosoma cruzi , monoclonal antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , ligand (biochemistry) , myocyte , receptor , phospholipase c , chemistry , antibody , biochemistry , immunology , parasite hosting , world wide web , computer science
We purified a soluble gp83 trans‐sialidase (gp83‐TSA), from phospholipase C‐treated Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigote membranes, which binds to myoblasts, fibroblasts and macrophages to mediate trypanosome entry. Myoblasts display a single class of receptors for the gp83‐TSA present at 4×10 4 per myoblast with a K d of 8 nM. Monovalent Fab fragments of the monoclonal antibody 4A4 specific for gp83‐TSA inhibit gp83‐TSA binding to myoblasts, fibroblasts and macrophages, block the trypanosomes from attaching to and entering these cells and neutralize T. cruzi infection in BALB/c mice. This is the first demonstration that gp83‐TSA is a ligand that T. cruzi uses to attach to cells.