ABSTRACT
Trypanosoma cruzi is a parasite with large amounts of sialic acid (SA) residues exposed at its surface that seems to be involved in macrophages infection. Some macrophages, present in T. cruzi infected tissues, expresses sialoadhesin (Sn), a receptor that recognizes SA. Thus, the involvement of Sn in the association of T. cruzi to macrophages was investigated. Sn was induced in mice peritoneal macrophages by homologous serum (HS) cultivation. Epimastigotes and trypomastigotes associated more to HS cultured macrophages than to fetal bovine serum (FBS). Blocking of Sn with antibodies reduced the association of trypomastigotes to similar level as for FBS cultured macrophages. Desialylation reduced the association of parasites to HS cultured macrophages indicating the Sn importance. Furthermore, the entrance mechanism of trypomastigotes to Sn positive macrophages has a phagocytic nature as demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy and cytochalasin D treatment. Sn positive macrophages may important in the initial trypomastigote infection, thus in the establishment of Chagas disease.
