Trypanosoma cruzi Secreted Cyclophilin Tc CyP19 as an Early Marker for Trypanocidal Treatment Efficiency.

Cyclophilins (CyPs) are a family of enzymes involved in protein folding. Trypanosoma cruzi , the causative agent of Chagas disease, has a 19-kDa cyclophilin, Tc CyP19, that was found to be secreted in parasite stages of the CL Brener clone and recognized by sera from T. cruzi -infected mice and patients. The levels of specific antibodies against Tc CyP19 in T. cruzi -infected mice and subjects before and after drug treatment were measured by an in-house enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mice in the acute and chronic phase of infection, with successful trypanocidal treatments, showed significantly lower anti- Tc CyP19 antibody levels than untreated mice. In children and adults chronically infected with T. cruzi , a significant decrease in the anti- Tc CyP19 titers was observed after 12 months of etiological treatment. This decrease was maintained in adult chronic patients followed-up 30-38 months post-treatment. These results encourage further studies on Tc CyP19 as an early biomarker of trypanocidal treatment efficiency.