ABSTRACT
Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease, which is endemic in much of Central and South America. The parasite undergoes distinct biochemical and morphological changes during a complex life cycle involving reduviid bugs and mammals. The biochemical changes that occur during differentiation between stages are important factors in establishing infection of insect vectors, invading mammalian cells, and evading the host immune system. A glycoprotein of molecular weight 72 kDa, GP 72, was first identified on the surface of insect stage epimastigote cells using a carbohydrate-specific monoclonal antibody, WIC 29.26 [1]. This was sub sequently found to be present on the surface of all T. cruzi strains exam ined, despite variations in posttranslational modification that caused some masking of glycan epitopes [2,3].
