Differential expression and characterization of a member of the mucin-associated surface protein family secreted by trypanosoma cruzi De Pablos, Luis Miguel Gonzalez Gonzalez, Gloria Solano Parada, Jennifer Seco Hidalgo, Victor Díaz Lozano, Isabel Maria Cruz Bustos, Teresa Osuna, Antonio Gómez Samblás, María Mercedes Díaz Lozano Trypanosoma cruzi Proteome MASP Acceso abierto con licencia de uso CC BY-NC-ND sin embargo We describe the characterization, purification, expression, and location of a 52-kDa protein secreted during interaction between the metacyclic form of Trypanosoma cruzi and its target host cell. The protein, which we have named MASP52, belongs to the family of mucin-associated surface proteins (MASPs). The highest levels of expression of both the protein and mRNA occur during the metacyclic and bloodstream trypomastigote stages, the forms that infect the vertebrate host cells. The protein is located in the plasma membrane and in the flagellar pockets of the epimastigote, metacyclic, and trypomastigote forms and is secreted into the medium at the point of contact between the parasite and the cell membrane, as well as into the host-cell cytosol during the amastigote stage. IgG antibodies specific against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the catalytic zone of MASP52 significantly reduce the parasite's capacity to infect the host cells. Furthermore, when the protein is adsorbed onto inert particles of bentonite and incubated with a nonphagocytic cell culture, the particles are able to induce endocytosis in the cells, which seems to demonstrate that MASP52 plays a role in a process whereby the trypomastigote forms of the parasite invade the host cell. 2025-01-20T09:20:07Z 2025-01-20T09:20:07Z 2011-10 journal article De Pablos LM, González GG, Solano Parada J, Seco Hidalgo V, Díaz Lozano IM, Gómez Samblás MM, Cruz Bustos T, Osuna A. Differential expression and characterization of a member of the mucin-associated surface protein family secreted by Trypanosoma cruzi. Infect Immun. 2011 Oct;79(10):3993-4001. doi: 10.1128/IAI.05329-11. Epub 2011 Jul 25. PMID: 21788387; PMCID: PMC3187265. https://hdl.handle.net/10481/99661 10.1128/IAI.05329-11 eng Spanish Agency of Science (CICyT) project AGL2007-60123/GAN Spanish Agency of Cooperation (AECID) project A/5115/08 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ open access Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional Infection and Immunity