The marsupial trypanosome Trypanosoma copemani is not an obligate intracellular parasite, although it adversely affects cell health.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Trypanosoma cruzi invades and replicates inside mammalian cells, which can lead to chronic Chagas disease in humans. Trypanosoma copemani infects Australian marsupials and recent investigations indicate it may be able to invade mammalian cells in vitro, similar to T. cruzi. Here, T. cruzi 10R26 strain (TcIIa) and two strains of T. copemani [genotype 1 (G1) and genotype 2 (G2)] were incubated with marsupial cells in vitro. Live-cell time-lapse and fluorescent microscopy, combined with high-resolution microscopy (transmission and scanning electron microscopy) were used to investigate surface interactions between parasites and mammalian cells.

Results

The number of parasites invading cells was significantly higher in T. cruzi compared to either genotype of T. copeman

SUBMITTER: Cooper C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6148770 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature