Chagas' disease is a debilitating and often fatal disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The great majority of surface molecules in trypanosomes are either inositol-containing phospholipids or glycoproteins that are anchored into the plasma membrane by glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors. The polyalcohol myo-inositol is the precursor for the biosynthesis of these molecules. In this brief review, recent findings on some aspects of the molecular and cellular fate of inositol in T. cruzi life cycle are discussed and identified some points that could be targets for the development of parasite-specific therapeutic agents.

A síntese de macromoléculas de T. cruzi em cultura foi monitorada usando traçadores radioativos. Células de diferentes dias em cultura mostraram uma incorporação preferencial de precursores comco se seguez: 1 dia para (3H)-timidina; 3 dias para (3H)-uridina e 4 dias para (3H)-leucina. Estudos autoradiográficos mostraram que (3H)-leucina. Estudos autoradiográficos mostraram que (3H)-timidina foi incorporada no DNA de ambos, cinetoplasto e núcleo, nesta ordem. Alterações no conteúdo intracelular de cAMP seja por adição de dibutiril-cAMP ou por estimulação de adenilciclase por isoproterenol, causav am inibição na síntese de DNA, RNA e proteínas. A adição destes agentes que elevam o conteúdo intracelular de cAMP em culturas de T.cruzi provocou inibição de crescimento, com resultado da síntese macromolecular imperfeita. Foi observada uma discriminação entre os estereoisômeros de isoproterenol, sendo a configuração L, a mais ativa.

Macromolecule synthesis of Trypanosoma cruzi in culture was monitored using radioactive tracers. Cells of different days in culture displayed a preferential incorporation of precursors as follows: 1 day for (³H)-thymidine cells; 3 days for (³H)-uridine cells, and 4 days for (³H)-leucine cells. Autoradiographic studies showed that (³H)-thymidine was incorporated in the DNA of both kinetoplast and nucleus in this order. Shifts in the intracellular content of cAMP either by addition of dibutyryl-cAMP or by stimulation of the adenylcyclase by isoproterenol, caused an inhibition in the synthesis of DNA, RNA and proteins. Addition to the T. cruzi cultures of these agents which elevate the intracellular content ofcAMP provoked an interruption of cell proliferation as a result of the impairment of macromolecule synthesis. A discrimination was observed among the stereoisomers of isoproterenol, the L configuration showing to be most active.