Effect of the Tc 13Tul antigen from Trypanosoma cruzi on splenocytes from naïve mice

TASSO, LAURA MÓNICA; ALBAREDA, MARÍA CECILIA; GARAVAGLIA, PATRICIA ANDREA; GARCÍA, GABRIELA ANDREA; BRUBALLA, ANDREA CECILIA; ESTEVA, MÓNICA INÉS

PARASITOLOGY

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Año: 2020 p. 1 - 39

0031-1820

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, releases factors, including antigens from the trans-sialidase (TS) superfamily, which modulate the host immune responses. Tc13 antigens belong to group IV of TSs and are characterized by C-terminal EPKSA repeats. Here, we studied the effect of the Tc13 antigen from the Tulahuen strain, Tc13Tul, on primary cultures of splenocytes from naive BALB/c mice. Recombinant Tc13Tul increased the percentage of viable cells and induced B (CD19+) lymphocyte proliferation. Tc13Tul stimulation also induced secretion of non-specific IgM and interferon-gamma (IFN-. The same effects were induced by Tc13Tul on splenocytes from naive C3H/HeJ mice. In vivo administration of Tc13Tul to naive BALB/c mice increased non-specific IgG in sera. In addition, in vitro cultured splenocytes from Tc13Tul-inoculated mice secreted a higher basal level of non-specific IgM than controls and the in vitro Tc13Tul stimulation of these cells showed an enhanced effect on IgM and IFN-Insecretion. Our results indicate that Tc13Tul may participate in the early immunity in T. cruzi infection by favoring immune system evasion through B-cell activation and non-specific Ig secretion. In contrast, as IFN- is an important factor involved in T. cruzi resistance, this may be considered a Tc13Tul effect in favor to the host.