Trypanosoma cruzi: Oxidative stress induces arginine kinase expresion

MARIANA MIRANDA; GASPAR CANEPA; LEON BOUVIER; CLAUDIO PEREIRA

EXPERIMENTAL PARASITOLOGY

Año: 2006 vol. 114 p. 341 - 344

0014-4894

Trypanosoma cruzi arginine kinase is a key enzyme in cell energy management and is also involved in pH and nutritional stress response mechanisms. T. cruzi epimastigotes treated with hydrogen peroxide presented a time-dependent increase in arginine kinase expression, up to 10-fold, when compared with untreated parasites. Among other oxidative stress-generating compounds tested, only nifurtimox produced more than 2-fold increase in arginine kinase expression. Moreover, parasites overexpressing arginine kinase showed significantly increased survival capability during hydrogen peroxide exposure. These findings suggest the participation of arginine kinase in oxidative stress response systems.