A proteína recombinante de Trypanosoma cruzi (rP21) modula a infecção por Toxoplasma gondii em células trofoblásticas humanas vilosas (BeWo), extravilosas (HTR-8/SVneo) e em vilos placentários humanos

Abstract

The recombinant protein based on Trypanosoma cruzi P21 (rP21) is a protein secreted by this parasite that is important for its invasion and control of proliferation in the host cell. Furthermore, studies have shown that this protein has antiangiogenic, chemotactic, inflammatory and antitumor activity. However, the impact of this protein on infection by other pathogens, such as Toxoplasma gondii, especially at the maternal-fetal interface, it is not understood. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the role of rP21 in T. gondii infection in BeWo and HTR-8/SVneo cells and in human chorionic villous. We observed that rP21 did not decrease cell viability and that concomitant treatment with infection increased T. gondii invasion in BeWo e HTR-8/SVneo cells. In addition, post-infection treatment decreased T. gondii proliferation in both cell types, and this proliferation effect was slightly reversed with the removal of rP21. Furthermore, we observed that the pre-treatment of the cells, except the concentration of 40 μg/mL, did not alter T. gondii invasion. On the other hand, pre-treatment decreased T. gondii proliferation in both cell types. We investigated some mechanisms that could be involved with the decrease in intracellular proliferation and observed that rP21 induced actin cytoskeleton polymerization, decreased reactive oxygen species production, and induced an increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines in BeWo and HTR-8/SVneo cells. On the other hand, in human chorionic villous, rP21 induced an increase in T. gondii proliferation, but the mechanisms involved with this increase need to be elucidated. Thus, we conclude that rP21, as well as for T. cruzi, may be beneficial to T. gondii, as it helps the parasite to invade, and once inside, it induces intracellular mechanisms that can help the parasite to survive in the host cell, contributing to T. gondii infection.