Biophysical and Biochemical Comparison of Extracellular Vesicles Produced by Infective and Non-Infective Stages of <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>

• Main Authors: Lissette Retana Moreira, Alexa Prescilla-Ledezma, Alberto Cornet-Gomez, Fátima Linares, Ana Belén Jódar-Reyes, Jorge Fernandez, Ana Karina Ibarrola Vannucci, Luis Miguel De Pablos, Antonio Osuna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: extracellular vesicles; <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>; epimastigote; trypomastigote; proteins; <i>trans</i>-sialidase
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/10/5183

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small lipid vesicles released by either any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell, or both, with a biological role in cell-to-cell communication. In this work, we characterize the proteomes and nanomechanical properties of EVs released by tissue-culture cell-derived trypomastigotes (mammalian infective stage; (TCT)) and epimastigotes (insect stage; (E)) of <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. EVs of each stage were isolated by differential centrifugation and analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Measurements of zeta-potential were also included. Results show marked differences in the surface molecular cargos of EVs between both stages, with a noteworthy expansion of all groups of <i>trans</i>-sialidase proteins in trypomastigote’s EVs. In contrast, chromosomal locations of <i>trans</i>-sialidases of EVs of epimastigotes were dramatically reduced and restricted to subtelomeric regions, indicating a possible regulatable expression of these proteins between both stages of the parasite. Regarding mechanical properties, EVs of trypomastigotes showed higher adhesion compared to the EVs of epimastigotes. These findings demonstrate the remarkable surface remodeling throughout the life cycle of <i>T. cruzi</i>, which shapes the physicochemical composition of the extracellular vesicles and could have an impact in the ability of these vesicles to participate in cell communication in completely different niches of infection.