cAMP-mediated cell invasion by Trypanosoma cruzi

DANIEL MUSIKANT, GABRIEL FERRI, JESICA G. MILD, IGNACIO DURANTE, CARLOS BUSCAGLIA, DANIEL L. ALTSCHULER, MARTIN M. EDREIRA

Woods Hole, MA

Congreso; Kinetoplastid Molecular Cell Biology Meeting; 2015

Attachment of infective stages of T. cruzi to the host cell is accompanied by elevation of intracellular cAMP levels in the host cell. It has been shown that cAMP was able to potentiate Ca2+-dependent exocytosis of lysosomes and lysosome-mediated invasion by the parasite. However, the contribution during the process of invasion of specific host cell cAMP effectors, such as PKA and Epac, has not been yet elucidated. Exploiting selective activation/inhibition of PKA, we shown that PKA-dependent signalling had no significant effect on invasion. In contrast, Epac specific activation revealed that cAMP-mediated invasion was induced via exclusive activation of the Epac pathway. In accordance to this observation, pharmacological inhibition of Epac completely abolished cAMP dependent effects on invasion.