Fig 6. Autophagy induction promotes metacyclogenesis in T. cruzi.

Y-GFP strain T. cruzi epimastigotes were subjected to the first (F) or the total (T) period of metacyclogenesis in control medium in either the absence or the presence of 50 ng/μl of rapamycin (Rap) or in TAU medium in either the absence or the presence of 100 nM of wortmannin at 37°C for 2 h. A: Trypomastigotes generated under each condition. Number of counted cells: 15 x 10⁶ cells. Data shown represent the mean +/- SE from 3 independent experiments. ** p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 (Tukey’s test). B: Equivalent samples were placed over Vero cell monolayers for 24 h to allow infection and then fixed and processed as described in Methods. Confocal images show cells infected with MT generated under different conditions (actin was visualized in red by phalloidin-rhodamine staining, whereas T. cruzi amastigotes were observed in green). Scale bar: 10 μm C: Percentage of infected cells at the indicated conditions. Number of counted cells: 100. Data shown represent the mean +/- SE from 3 independent experiments. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 (Tukey’s test).