Abstract

Significant advances have recently occurred in the identification and characterization of different types of microvesicles released by eukaryotic cells into the extracellular space. Exosomes are one such type of these vesicles they originate from multivesicular bodies and have received much attention. Here, we review the available data on microvesicles secreted by the pathogenic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, which is the causative agent of Chagas disease and that still has a high prevalence in Latin America. The available data show that T. cruzi exosomes contain some key proteins and RNA molecules that contain genetic information and may interfere with transcription. The available information suggests that they play some role in the biology of T. cruzi, including its interaction with host cells, as well as on the pathogenesis of Chagas disease where inflammatory processes and host cell dead occurs as a consequence of parasites, factors released by the parasites, and molecules produced by different host cells that are part of the immunological response.

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