Cutting edge: nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1-dependent responses account for murine resistance against Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

Cutting edge: small molecule CD40 ligand mimetics promote control of parasitemia and enhance T cells producing IFN-gamma during experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

Host resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi infection depends on a type 1 response characterized by a strong production of IL-12 and IFN-gamma. Amplifying this response through CD40 triggering results in control of parasitemia. Two newly synthesized molecules (<3 kDa) mimicking trimeric CD40L (mini CD40Ls(-1) and (-2)) bind to CD40, activate murine dendritic cells, and elicit IL-12 production. Wild-ty...

Nonimmune Cells Contribute to Crosstalk between Immune Cells and Inflammatory Mediators in the Innate Response to Trypanosoma cruzi Infection

Chagas myocarditis, which is caused by infection with the intracellular parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, remains the major infectious heart disease worldwide. Innate recognition through toll-like receptors (TLRs) on immune cells has not only been revealed to be critical for defense against T. cruzi but has also been involved in triggering the pathology. Subsequent studies revealed that this parasite...

Infection Trypanosoma cruzi Control of Parasitemia in Together Account for MyD88-Dependent Cutting Edge: TLR9 and TLR2 Signaling

Vaccination with trypomastigote surface antigen 1-encoding plasmid DNA confers protection against lethal Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

DNA vaccination was evaluated with the experimental murine model of Trypanosoma cruzi infection as a means to induce antiparasite protective immunity, and the trypomastigote surface antigen 1 (TSA-1), a target of anti-T. cruzi antibody and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted CD8(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses, was used as the model antigen. Following the intramu...

Ion efflux and influenza infection trigger NLRP3 inflammasome signaling in human dendritic cells.

The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome, a multiprotein complex, is an essential intracellular mediator of antiviral immunity. In murine dendritic cells, this complex responds to a wide array of signals, including ion efflux and influenza A virus infection, to activate caspase-1-mediated proteolysis of IL-1β and IL-18 into biologically active cytokines...