Figure 6.

TcOYE overexpression modulates parasite infective cycle. (A) Trypanosoma cruzi invasion capacity was not affected by TcOYE overexpression. HeLa cells were incubated for 4 h with trypomastigotes and then the number of infected cells vs. total cells was evaluated. At least 200 cells per replicate were evaluated. No statistically significant differences were observed between the means of three independent assays performed in triplicates. (B) Intracellular amastigotes replication was not affected by TcOYE overexpression. HeLa cells were incubated for 4 h with trypomastigotes and the number of internal parasites was counted 48 h post infection in at least 100 cells. No statistically significant differences were observed between the means of three independent assays performed in triplicates. (C,D) TcOYE overexpression reduces the capacity of parasites to complete the infective cycle in different cell types. Number of trypomastigotes per milllilter of supernatant of HeLa cell or J774 macrophages infected with pTREX-n control parasites or pTREX-n TcOYE transfected parasites. Asterisks represent statistical significance (two tailed Student’s t-test).