Immunization with a major Trypanosoma cruzi antigen promotes pro-inflammatory cytokines, nitric

GUIÑAZÚ N; PELLEGRINI AV; CARRERA-SILVA AE; AOKI MP; CABANILLAS AM; GÌRONÉS N; FRESNO M; CANO RC; SUSANA GEA

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Año: 2007 vol. 37 p. 1243 - 1243

p>Innate and adaptive immunity collaborate in the protection of intracellular pathogens including Trypanosoma cruzi infection. However, the parasite molecules that regulate the host immune response have not been fully identified. We previously demonstrated that the immunisation of C57BL/6 mice with cruzipain, an immunogenic T. cruzi glycoprotein, induced a strong specific T-cell response. In this study, we demonstrated that active immunisation with cruzipain was able to stimulate nitric oxide (NO) production by splenocytes. Immune cells also showed increased inducible nitric oxide synthase protein and mRNA expression. Spleen adherent cells secreted high levels of IFN-c and IL-12. Microbicidal activity in vitro was mainly mediated by reactive nitrogen intermediaries and IFN-c, as demonstrated by the inhibitory effects of NO synthase inhibitor or by IFN-c neutralisation. Specific T-cells were essential for NO, IFN-c and TNF-a