Abstract
Background:
P21 is a secreted protein expressed in all developmental stages of Trypanosoma cruzi. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the recombinant protein based on P21 (P21-His(6)) on inflammatory macrophages during phagocytosis.
Findings:
Our results showed that P21-His(6) acts as a phagocytosis inducer by binding to CXCR4 chemokine receptor and activating actin polymerization in a way dependent onthe PI3-kinase signaling pathway.
Conclusions:
Thus, our results shed light on the notion that native P21 is a component related to T. cruzi evasion from the immune response and that CXCR4 may be involved in phagocytosis. P21-His(6) represents an important experimental control tool to study phagocytosis signaling pathways of different intracellular parasites and particles.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Phagocytosis*
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Protein Binding
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Protozoan Proteins / metabolism*
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Receptors, CXCR4 / metabolism
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Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
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Trypanosoma cruzi / metabolism*
Substances
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Protozoan Proteins
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Receptors, CXCR4
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Recombinant Proteins
Grants and funding
This study was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (Process number: APQ-00621-11), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Process number: 23038005295/2011-40) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnológico. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.