Clone CL Brener is the reference organism used in the Trypanosoma cruzi Genome Project. Some biological parameters of CL Brener were determined: (a) the doubling time of epimastigote forms cultured in liver infusion-tryptose (LIT) medium at 28 degrees C is 58 +/- 13 hr; (b) differentiation of epimastigotes to metacyclic trypomastigotes is obtained by incubation in LIT-20% Grace's medium; (c) tr...

The drug susceptibility of 3 isoenzymic strains of Trypanosoma cruzi was studied. Two drugs (SQ 18, 506 and Ro 7-1051) and 6 stocks were used. The drug test was carried out on epimastigote cultures. Significant susceptibility differences were found for Ro 7-1051 between the 3 strains. For SQ 18, 506, there were differences between strains 1 and 2, and 2 and 3, but no differences between 1 and 3...

An indirect enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) for Trypanosoma cruzi was developed using epimastigote secretion/excretion proteins (ESEA antigens) obtained from axenic culture supernatants. A panel of 120 serum samples from subjects with confirmed Chagas disease (n = 50), healthy controls (n = 50), and patients with other parasitic diseases (n = 20) was used to evaluate the new ESEA-ba...

We purified the neuraminidase (sialidase, acylneuraminyl hydrolase, EC 3.2.1.18) from the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, strain Y, and examined the developmental regulation of the enzyme. The detectable amount of enzyme activity increased 10- to 20-fold upon conversion of the parasite from the noninfectious epimastigote form to the infectious trypomastigote form. The enzyme was purified ...

Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Epimastigote forms of T. cruzi can be readily cultured in axenic conditions. Ethanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are commonly used solvents employed as vehicles for hydrophobic compounds. In order to produce a reference plot of solvent dependent growth inhibition for T. cruzi research, the growth of epimastigotes was analyzed in th...

A series of new 2-aminonaphthoquinones and related compounds were synthesized and evaluated in vitro as trypanocidal and cytotoxic agents. Some tested compounds inhibited epimastigote growth and trypomastigote viability. Several compounds showed similar or higher activity and selectivity as compared with current trypanocidal drug, nifurtimox. Compound 4l exhibit higher selectivity than nifurtim...

A chloroform extract from roots of Craniolaria annua provided six new C-11 unsubstituted abietanes, 14-hydroxy-6,12-dione-7,9(11),13-abietatriene (1), 14-hydroxy-12-oxo-7,9(11),13-abietatriene (2), 6,12,14-trihydroxyabieta-5,8,11,13-tetraen-7-one (3), ar-abietatriene-12-ol-6,7-dione-14,16-oxide (4), ar-abietatriene-12,16-diol-14,16-oxide (5) and ar-abietatriene-12-ol-7-one-14,16-oxide (6), and ...

Intracellular protozoan parasites are potent stimulators of cell-mediated immunity. The induction of macrophage proinflammatory cytokines by Trypanosoma cruzi is considered to be important in controlling the infection and the outcome of Chagas' disease. Here we show that the potent tumour necrosis factor-alpha-, interleukin-12- and nitric oxide-inducing activities of T.cruzi trypomastigote muci...

Extracts were prepared from 13 native plants used for the treatment of protozoal infections. Activity against bacteria and fungi was demonstrated by dilution procedures; Trypanosoma cruzi was evaluated in vitro against epimastigote and trypomastigotes and in vivo against trypomastigotes. In active extracts, toxicity was evaluated by Artemia salina nauplii, oral acute toxicity (1-5 g/kg) and ora...

Inhibition of Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania spp. sirtuins has shown promising antiparasitic activity, indicating that these enzymes may be used as targets for drug discovery against trypanosomatid infections. In the present work we carried out a virtual screening focused on the C pocket of Sir2 from Trypanosoma cruzi. Using this approach, the best ligand found was nicotinamide. In vitro tes...