Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://www.arca.fiocruz.br/handle/icict/41059
Type
ArticleCopyright
Open access
Collections
- IOC - Artigos de Periódicos [12500]
Metadata
Show full item record
BENZNIDAZOLE TREATMENT FOLLOWING ACUTE TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI INFECTION TRIGGERS CD8+ T-CELL EXPANSION AND PROMOTES RESISTANCE TO REINFECTION
Doença de Chagas
Tratamento com Benznidazle
Infecção aguda
Expansão de Células T CD8
Resistência a Reinfecção
Trypanosoma cruzi
Benznidazole Treatment
Acute infection
Resistance to Reinfection
CD8 T-Cell Expansion
Affilliation
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Ultraestrutura e Biologia Celular. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Harvard Medical School. Massachusetts General Hospital. Gastrointestinal Unit. Boston, Massachussets, USA.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Ultraestrutura e Biologia Celular. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Harvard Medical School. Massachusetts General Hospital. Gastrointestinal Unit. Boston, Massachussets, USA.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Ultraestrutura e Biologia Celular. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Abstract
Many studies have shed light on the mechanisms underlying both immunoprotection and immune dysregulation arising after Trypanosoma cruzi infection. However, little is known about the impact of benznidazole (N-benzyl-2-nitroimidazole acetamide), the drug available for clinical treatment of the infection, on the immune system in the infected host. In the present study we investigated the effect of benznidazole therapy on the lymphoid compartment during the course of experimental T. cruzi infection. Although amelioration of a variety of clinical and parasitological signs was observed in treated mice, amelioration of splenocyte expansion was not detected. Interestingly, this sustained splenomegaly observed in benznidazole-treated mice showed a preferential expansion of CD8(+) T lymphocytes. Moreover, although benznidazole treatment blocked the expansion of recently activated CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells seen in infected hosts, benznidazole treatment led to a selective expansion of effector and memory CD8(+) T lymphocytes in association with a lower rate of apoptosis. In addition, the surviving treated animals were protected from reinfection. Together, these data suggest that, in addition to its well-known direct role in blocking parasite replication in vivo, benznidazole appears to directly affect immune regulation in T. cruzi-infected hosts.
Keywords in Portuguese
Trypanosoma cruziDoença de Chagas
Tratamento com Benznidazle
Infecção aguda
Expansão de Células T CD8
Resistência a Reinfecção
Keywords
Chagas DiseaseTrypanosoma cruzi
Benznidazole Treatment
Acute infection
Resistance to Reinfection
CD8 T-Cell Expansion
Share