Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes store cholesteryl esters in lipid droplets after cholesterol endocytosis. 2018

Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
Laboratory of Celullar Ultrastructure Hertha Meyer, Biophysics Institute Carlos Chagas Filho, National Institute of Science and Technology in Structural Biology and Bioimaging, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; National Center for Biological Structure and Bioimaging-CENABIO, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

The Chagas disease agent Trypanosoma cruzi proliferates in the insect vector as highly endocytic epimastigotes that store nutrients, including lipids in reservosomes (lysosome related compartments). Although nutrient storage is important for epimastigote transformation into infective metacyclics, the epimastigote lipid droplets (LDs) remain uncharacterized. Here, we characterized the epimastigote LDs and examined their relationship with the endocytic pathway. Fluorescence microscopy using BODIPY showed that LDs have high neutral lipid content and harbor Rab18, differently from other lipid-rich organelles (such as reservosomes). Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we observed a close relationship between LDs and the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and glycosomes. We developed a reproducible protocol to isolate LDs, and showed (by HTPLC and GC/MS analyses) that they have 89% neutral lipids and 11% phospholipids, which are likely to form the LD monolayer seen by TEM. The LD neutral lipids were mostly sterols, although triacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, monoacylglycerol and free fatty acids (FFA) were also found. Endocytosis of 3H-labeled cholesterol-BSA showed that internalized cholesterol is stored in LDs mostly in the cholesteryl ester form. Together, these results suggest that exogenous cholesterol internalized by endocytosis reaches the reservosomes and is then stored into LDs after esterification.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008401 Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry A microanalytical technique combining mass spectrometry and gas chromatography for the qualitative as well as quantitative determinations of compounds. Chromatography, Gas-Liquid-Mass Spectrometry,Chromatography, Gas-Mass Spectrometry,GCMS,Spectrometry, Mass-Gas Chromatography,Spectrum Analysis, Mass-Gas Chromatography,Gas-Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry,Mass Spectrometry-Gas Chromatography,Chromatography, Gas Liquid Mass Spectrometry,Chromatography, Gas Mass Spectrometry,Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry-Gas,Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Gas,Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Gas-Liquid,Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry,Gas Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry,Mass Spectrometry Gas Chromatography,Spectrometries, Mass-Gas Chromatography,Spectrometry, Gas Chromatography-Mass,Spectrometry, Gas-Liquid Chromatography-Mass,Spectrometry, Mass Gas Chromatography,Spectrometry-Gas Chromatography, Mass,Spectrum Analysis, Mass Gas Chromatography
D008856 Microscopy, Fluorescence Microscopy of specimens stained with fluorescent dye (usually fluorescein isothiocyanate) or of naturally fluorescent materials, which emit light when exposed to ultraviolet or blue light. Immunofluorescence microscopy utilizes antibodies that are labeled with fluorescent dye. Fluorescence Microscopy,Immunofluorescence Microscopy,Microscopy, Immunofluorescence,Fluorescence Microscopies,Immunofluorescence Microscopies,Microscopies, Fluorescence,Microscopies, Immunofluorescence
D002784 Cholesterol The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils. Epicholesterol
D002788 Cholesterol Esters Fatty acid esters of cholesterol which constitute about two-thirds of the cholesterol in the plasma. The accumulation of cholesterol esters in the arterial intima is a characteristic feature of atherosclerosis. Cholesterol Ester,Cholesteryl Ester,Cholesteryl Esters,Ester, Cholesterol,Ester, Cholesteryl,Esters, Cholesterol,Esters, Cholesteryl
D002855 Chromatography, Thin Layer Chromatography on thin layers of adsorbents rather than in columns. The adsorbent can be alumina, silica gel, silicates, charcoals, or cellulose. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Chromatography, Thin-Layer,Thin Layer Chromatography,Chromatographies, Thin Layer,Chromatographies, Thin-Layer,Thin Layer Chromatographies,Thin-Layer Chromatographies,Thin-Layer Chromatography
D004705 Endocytosis Cellular uptake of extracellular materials within membrane-limited vacuoles or microvesicles. ENDOSOMES play a central role in endocytosis. Endocytoses
D014349 Trypanosoma cruzi The agent of South American trypanosomiasis or CHAGAS DISEASE. Its vertebrate hosts are man and various domestic and wild animals. Insects of several species are vectors. Trypanosoma cruzus,cruzi, Trypanosoma
D046529 Microscopy, Electron, Transmission Electron microscopy in which the ELECTRONS or their reaction products that pass down through the specimen are imaged below the plane of the specimen. Electron Diffraction Microscopy,Electron Microscopy, Transmission,Microscopy, Electron Diffraction,Transmission Electron Microscopy,Diffraction Microscopy, Electron,Microscopy, Transmission Electron
D066292 Lipid Droplets Dynamic cytoplasmic organelles found in almost all cells. They consist of a central core of LIPIDS surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer studded with surface proteins, and are involved in LIPID METABOLISM and storage. Adiposomes,Lipid Bodies,Lipid Storage Bodies,Oil Bodies,Oleosomes,Spherosomes,Adiposome,Droplet, Lipid,Droplets, Lipid,Lipid Body,Lipid Droplet,Lipid Storage Body,Oil Body,Oleosome,Spherosome,Storage Bodies, Lipid,Storage Body, Lipid

Related Publications

Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
January 2011, PloS one,
Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
January 1976, Comparative biochemistry and physiology. B, Comparative biochemistry,
Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
June 1979, Biochimica et biophysica acta,
Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
May 2000, Parasitology research,
Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
January 2004, Experimental parasitology,
Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
January 2012, Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology,
Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
January 1987, Comparative biochemistry and physiology. B, Comparative biochemistry,
Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
August 1992, Molecular and biochemical parasitology,
Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
January 1983, Comparative biochemistry and physiology. B, Comparative biochemistry,
Miria G Pereira, and Gonzalo Visbal, and Tatiana F R Costa, and Susana Frases, and Wanderley de Souza, and Geórgia Atella, and Narcisa Cunha-E-Silva
January 2015, Molecular and biochemical parasitology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!