Cross-protective immunity to Leishmania amazonensis is mediated by CD4+and CD8+epitopes of Leishmania donovani nucleoside hydrolase terminal domains

The nucleoside hydrolase (NH) of Leishmania donovani (NH36) is a phylogenetic marker of high homology among Leishmania parasites. in mice and dog vaccination, NH36 induces a CD4+ T cell-driven protective response against Leishmania chagasi infection directed against its C-terminal domain (F3). the C-terminal and N-terminal domain vaccines also decreased the footpad lesion caused by Leishmania amazonensis. We studied the basis of the crossed immune response using recombinant generated peptides covering the whole NH36 sequence and saponin for mice prophylaxis against L. amazonensis. the F1 (amino acids 1-103) and F3 peptide (amino acids 199-314) vaccines enhanced the IgG and IgG2a anti-NH36 antibodies to similar levels. the F3 vaccine induced the strongest DTH response, the highest proportions of NH36-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells after challenge and the highest expression of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. the F1 vaccine, on the other hand, induced a weaker but significant DTH response and a mild enhancement of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha levels. the in vivo depletion with anti-CD4 or CD8 monoclonal antibodies disclosed that cross-protection against L. amazonensis infection was mediated by a CD4+ T cell response directed against the C-terminal domain (75% of reduction of the size of footpad lesion) followed by a CD8+T cell response against the N-terminal domain of NH36 (57% of reduction of footpad lesions). Both vaccines were capable of inducing long-term cross-immunity. the amino acid sequence of NH36 showed 93% identity to the sequence of the NH A34480 of L amazonensis, which also showed the presence of completely conserved predicted epitopes for CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in F1 domain, and of CD4+ epitopes differing by a single amino acid, in F1 and F3 domains. the identification of the C-terminal and N-terminal domains as the targets of the immune response to NH36 in the model of L. amazonensis infection represents a basis for the rationale development of a bivalent vaccine against leishmaniasis.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ)Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Microbiol Paulo Goes, Dept Microbiol Geral, Lab Biol & Bioquim Leishmania, BR-21941902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Microbiol Paulo Goes, Lab Imunol, BR-21941902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Minas Gerais, Inst Ciencias Biol, Dept Biol Geral, Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Fac Med, Programa Pos Grad Clin Med, BR-21941902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Ctr Terapia Celular & Mol, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Ctr Terapia Celular & Mol, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilCNPq: 301215-2007-3CNPq: 302039/2010-4CNPq: 559756/2010-0CNPq: 404400/2012-4FAPERJ: 102733/2008FAPERJ: 102957/2011FAPERJ: E-26/102415/2010FAPERJ: E-26/110535/2010Web of Scienc

Interactions between Trypanosoma cruzi secreted proteins and host cell signaling pathways

Chagas disease is one of the prevalent neglected tropical diseases, affecting at least 6-7 million individuals in Latin America. It is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), which is transmitted to vertebrate hosts by blood-sucking insects. After infection, the parasite invades and multiplies in the myocardium, leading to acute myocarditis that kills around 5% of untreated individuals. T. cruzi secretes proteins that manipulate multiple host cell signaling pathways to promote host cell invasion. The primary secreted lysosomal peptidase in T. cruzi is cruzipain, which has been shown to modulate the host immune response. Cruzipain hinders macrophage activation during the early stages of infection by interrupting the NF-kB P65 mediated signaling pathway. This allows the parasite to survive and replicate, and may contribute to the spread of infection in acute Chagas disease. Another secreted protein P21, which is expressed in all of the developmental stages of T. cruzi, has been shown to modulate host phagocytosis signaling pathways. The parasite also secretes soluble factors that exert effects on host extracellular matrix, such as proteolytic degradation of collagens. Finally, secreted phospholipase A from T. cruzi contributes to lipid modifications on host cells and concomitantly activates the PKC signaling pathway. Here we present a brief review of the interaction between secreted proteins from T. cruzi and the host cells, emphasizing the manipulation of host signaling pathways during invasion

Trypanosoma cruzi extracellular amastigotes and host cell signaling: more pieces to the puzzle

Among the different infective stages that Trypanosoma cruzi employs to invade cells, extracellular amastigotes have recently gained attention by our group. This is true primarily because these amastigotes are able to infect cultured cells and animals, establishing a sustainable infective cycle. Extracellular amastigotes are thus an excellent means of adaptation and survival for T. cruzi, whose different infective stages each utilize unique mechanisms for attachment and penetration. Here we discuss some features of host cell invasion by extracellular amastigotes and the associated host cell signaling events that occur as part of the process