Vaccination with epimastigotes of different strains of Trypanosoma rangeli protects mice against Trypanosoma cruzi infection

In our laboratory, we have developed a model of vaccination in mice with Trypanosoma rangeli, a non-pathogenic parasite that shares many antigens with Trypanosoma cruzi. The vaccinated mice were protected against infection with virulent T. cruzi. The goal of the present work was to study the protective activity of strains of T. rangeli of different origin, with the aim of analysing whether this protective capacity is a common feature of T. rangeli. BALB/c mice were vaccinated with live or fixed epimastigotes of two T. rangeli strains, Choachi and SC-58. Vaccinated (VM) and control mice (CM) were infected with virulent T. cruzi, Tulahuen strain. The results showed that the levels of parasitemia of VM, vaccinated with the two strains of T. rangeli were significantly lower than those developed in CM. The survival rate of VM was higher than that CM. Histological studies revealed many amastigote nests and severe inflammatory infiltrates in the heart and skeletal muscles of CM, whereas in the VM only moderate lymphomonocytic infiltrates were detected. Altogether, the results of the present work as well as previous studies show that the antigens involved in the protection induced by T. rangeli are expressed in different strains of this parasite. These findings could prove useful in vaccine preparation.     

Immunization of mice with irradiated Trypanosoma cruzi grown in cell culture: Relation of numbers of parasites,immunizing injections,and route of immunization to resistance

Mice were given 5 or 8 weekly injectins of either 2·0 × 10⁶ or 20·0 × 10⁶ irradiated T. cruzi from cell culture (ratio of trypomastigotes to amastigotes, 1 : 1) via the intraperitoneal route or via the subcutaneous route and challenged via the subcutaneous route one week after the last injection with 5·0 × 10⁴T. cruzi in mouse blood. The irradiated parasites used were not capable of producing infections in either Vero cell cultures or C₃H mice. Mice receiving irradiated parasites were significantly protected against the challenge infection as evidenced by significantly lower mean parasitemia, lessened signs of acute disease, and reduced mortality than that observed in untreated controls. Mice receiving 5 weekly immunizing injections of irradiated parasites were more resistant to challenge than those receiving 3 in previous work. Mice receiving 8 weekly immunizing injections were not significantly more protected against challenge than those receiving 5. Mice given 5 weekly injections of 20·0 × 10⁶ irradiated parasites were significantly more resistant to challenge than those receiving 2·0 × 10⁶ irradiated parasites on the same schedule. Mice given 5 weekly intraperitoneal injections of 20·0 × 10⁶ irradiated parasites were significantly more resistant to challenge than those receiving an equivalent number of immunizing injections via the subcutaneous route.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: homocytotrophic antibody response in mice immunized with unrelated antigens.

The homocytotropic antibody response to unrelated antigens of mice with acute or chronic infection with Trypanosoma cruzi was studied. The production of IgG1 and IgE antibodies was observed in animals immunized with ovalbumin. The levels of IgG1 and IgE antibody were determined by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. There was a depression in both IgG1 and IgE when infection and immunization were simultaneous. This depression was more intense when the animals were immunized 3 days after infection. A depression of IgG1 but not of IgE was observed in the animals with chronic infection and in the animals infected during the course of the humoral antibody response (12 days after immunization). It is suggested that a loss of T-cell regulatory mechanism may explain these results.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: possible control of parasite transmission by blood transfusion using amphiphilic cationic drugs

About 200 clinically used amphiphilic cationic drugs have been shown to be active in vitro against Trypanosoma cruzi at concentrations of less than or equal to 1 mM. Activity against epimastigote and trypomastigote forms was similar, and in both cases the most potent drugs were litracene, maprotiline, thioproperazine, and the acridines: acranil, aminacrine, and mepacrine. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that epimastigotes rapidly accumulate acridines initially in discrete subcellular organelles. The amount of drug incorporated during 15 min of incubation was sufficient to produce subsequent lysis of both trypomastigotes and epimastigotes within 24 hr at 4 C. Trypanocidal activity was dependent on the extracellular pH (optimum greater than or equal to 8) and drug exposure time, but was independent of red blood cell density, serum dilution, and temperature (4 to 37 C). Despite their trypanocidal activity, amphiphilic cationic drugs appear to have no significant effect on the energy state of red blood cells at a concentration of 1 mM. These drugs have a possible role in the prevention of Chagas' disease by blood transfusion.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: role of the immune response in the natural resistance of inbred strains of mice.

Nine inbred strains of mice were challenged with 10⁴ or 10⁵ trypomastigotes of the Brazil strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. A spectrum of resistance was evident ranging from highly susceptible strains, e.g., C3H, which developed high parasitemias and died within 3 to 4 weeks, to resistant strains, e.g., C57BL/10, which developed low parasitemias and survived. Impairment of the immune system in resistant C57BL/10 mice by X-irradiation, splenectomy, or treatment with silica led to high, often fatal parasitemias. Athymic nude mice, in particular, attained exceptionally high parasitemias before dying. The immune response appears to be necessary for survival and to play a role in the natural resistance of some mouse strains by effectively eliminating parasites and minimizing parasitemia. Using congenic strains of mice, it was shown that the principal genetic determinant of resistance is not associated with their H-2 haplotype.     

Effects of antiserum to Trypanosoma cruzi on the uptake and rate of killing of vector-borne, metacyclic forms of the parasite by macrophages

Kierszenbaum F., Lima M. F. and Wirth J. J. 1985. Effects of antiserum to Trypanosoma cruzi on the uptake and rate of killing of vector-borne, metacyclic forms of the parasite by macrophages. International Journal for Parasitology15: 409–413. The contribution of phagocytic function to host defense against infection with metacyclic forms of Trypanosoma cruzi isolated from insect vectors was investigated in mice passively transferred with anti-T. cruzi serum. The protective effect resulting from the passive transfers was significantly reduced by administration of either silica or cobra venom factor (CVF). A more pronounced curtailment of the protective effect was seen when both silica and CVF were administered to the mice. This effect was greater than that calculated by adding the effects produced by silica and CVF alone. In in vitro experiments, presence of anti-T. cruzi antibodies enhanced the capacity of mouse macrophages to take up the metacyclic organisms and increased the proportion of macrophages associating with the parasites. Increased macrophage-parasite association was also seen when either the flagellates or the macrophages were preincubated with the antiserum. Antibody-treated metacyclic forms of T. cruzi were more rapidly cleared by untreated macrophages than parasites pretreated with normal mouse serum. These results support a role for macrophages in host defense against the form of T. cruzi responsible for natural infections and emphasize the role played by anti-T. cruzi antibodies. The combined effect of the silica and CVF treatments suggests that C activity may contribute to the protective action of antibodies through its opsonic properties, though a concomitant role for C-dependent immune lysis cannot be ruled out. These results highlight the protective role of antibodymediated mechanisms against infection with the form of T. cruzi responsible for natural infections.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: fusogenic ability of membranes from cultured epimastigotes in interaction with human syncytiotrophoblast

Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes cultured in vitro were disrupted by successive freezing and thawing and subsequent sonication. The total homogenate was fractionated by differential centrifugation to obtain an enriched plasma membrane fraction. The proteins of subcellular parasite fractions were labeled with 131I and their binding to membrane fractions from human placenta syncytiotrophoblast was studied. Syncytiotrophoblast fractions enriched in plasma showed higher specific activity for binding an enriched T. cruzi plasma membrane fraction compared with other fractions of syncytiotrophoblast. The properties of this interaction were studied with digestive enzymes (trypsin and phospholipase A2). The results showed that both proteins and lipids could be involved in this interaction. The Ca2+ requirements for the membrane-membrane interaction are different for the two membranes studied. Also the enriched plasma membrane T. cruzi fraction had a higher capacity to induce fusion processes than the other subcellular fractions. The above results indicate that a preferential syncytiotrophoblast-T. cruzi interaction may occur between the two cell surfaces as compared to intracellular membranes and that the parasite surface is able to induce an instability process leading to membrane fusion. These results may have implications in regard to the mechanism of entry of the parasite into cells.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: antigenic composition of axonemes and flagellar membranes of epimastigotes cultured in vitro

Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes were sonicated in a medium containing sucrose, albumin, and calcium as stabilizers, to yield mainly unbroken parasites and free flagella. The latter were separated, first by differential centrifugation and finally by an isopicnic centrifugation, in a discontinuous sucrose gradient. The flagella obtained in the $\text{1.66}\text{1.84}\text{M}$ interphase show, by electron microscopy, the typical axonemal structure surrounded by the flagellar membrane and are completely free of extraneous subcellular components. They are also very homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and enzyme marker criteria. The purified flagella were further subfractionated into well-preserved axonemes and a soluble flagellar membrane preparation. In order to detect in these fractions only the parasite immunogens that elicit a humoral response in humans, sera of chagasic patients were exclusively used. Indirect immunofluorescence reveals that both intact and membrane-free flagella are reactive. Passive hemagglutination and complement fixation of the flagellar membrane and axonemal fractions show a 21- and 8-fold purification, respectively, over a standard (Maekelt) antigen used for diagnostic purposes. Approximately 10% of the antigenicity of the total parasite is found in the flagellum, and two-thirds of this in the membrane. Double-immunodiffusion tests reveal the presence of two antigens in the axonemes and four in the flagellar membranes, one of which is common with one of the three antigens detected in a total parasite membrane fraction. The high degree of flagellar purification achieved here and the use of chagasic sera allow to conclude that at least six antigenic determinants for humoral response in humans are present in the flagellum of T. cruzi epimastigotes, two of them localized in the axoneme and four in the flagellar membrane.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: immunosuppressed response to different antigens in the infected mouse.

Trypanosoma cruzi: Immunosuppressed response to different antigens in the infected mouse. Experimental Parasitology45, 190–199. Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice results in functional changes in the normal immunological responses to heterologous antigens. An immunosuppression of the 19 and 7S antibody response is observed in infected animals against both a particulate antigen and against soluble antigens. Furthermore, the immune response to the soluble T-independent antigens, DNP-Ficoll and LPS, was also similarly impaired when antigen was administered to trypanosome-infected animals. The suppression of the immune response to these antigens does not seem to involve an alteration in the macrophage, as evidenced by a normal uptake and handling of soluble ¹³¹I-labeled HSA and by a normal immune response when antigen-exposed peritoneal macrophages from trypanosome-infected mice were transferred to normal mice. These data support the concept that T. cruzi induces an immunosuppression to both T-dependent and T-independent antigens and that the depression observed is not due to an alteration in macrophage function.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: ability of T-cell-enriched and -depleted lymphocyte populations to passively protect mice

T-Cells and a T-cell-depleted population were prepared from the spleens of C3H mice immunized with epimastigotes of the Brazil strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. Both populations of cells, as well as unfractionated spleen cells, were capable of reducing parasitemias and protecting against death when transferred to susceptible C3H mice 24 hr before challenge with 10⁴ Brazil strain trypomastigotes. The immune T-cell-depleted subpopulation was, on an equal cell basis, more effective in engendering resistance than the immune T-cell subpopulation. Protection could also be transferred with unfractionated immune spleen cells if the cells were given within 8 days following challenge of recipient mice. Transfer after 8 days led to significantly reduced parasitemias but all mice died.     

Production of hydrogen peroxide by peripheral blood monocytes and specific macrophages during experimental infection with Trypanosoma cruzi in vivo

Acute Chagas' disease triggers potent inflammatory reaction characterized by great increase of peripheral blood monocyte (PBM) and macrophage numbers. We studied the respiratory burst responses of PBM and peritoneal and splenic macrophages to in vivo infection (rats). The ultrastructure of heart inflammatory macrophages was also investigated. The infection increased the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production by PBM and splenic macrophages but not by peritoneal macrophages. Accordingly, the PBM and spleen cell numbers increased but the total number of peritoneal cells was similar to controls. Heart macrophages of infected rats exhibited increase (number and size) and activated morphology in parallel to high cardiomyocyte parasitism. Our data highlight the importance of innate immunity and H2O2production to host resistance during acute phase of T. cruzi infection. A novel finding is that H2O2production seems related to specific types of monocytes/macrophages that are able to release this agent when in presence of high parasite load.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: protection of mice with epimastigote antigens from immunologically different parasite strains

Antigens, prepared by the aid of pressure, from epimastigotes of strains of T. cruzi belonging to the different immunological groups described, conferred equal protection in mice against lethal infections of T. cruzi trypomastigotes of the T strain, which belongs to one of those immunological groups. Humoral antibodies were detected by the direct agglutination and immune fluorescent tests in all the immunized groups. The B and T strains produced earlier antibody responses than G and L strains. The weakest antibody response was induced by antigens obtained from the L strain. All the immunized mice sacrificed 21 days after challenge infection showed prominent inflammatory reactions at the tissue level, as well as free amastigote-like bodies. Four months after challenge injection, myocardium, liver, and spleen appeared histologically normal when compared to uninfected control mice. However, histological alterations were detected usually in striated muscle. The latter tissue seemed to be the best to check residual infections.     

Structure-activity relationships for a class of selective inhibitors of the major cysteine protease from Trypanosoma cruzi

Chagas' disease is a parasitic infection widely distributed throughout Latin America, with devastating consequences in terms of human morbidity and mortality. Cruzain, the major cysteine protease from Trypanosoma cruzi, is an attractive target for antitrypanosomal chemotherapy. In the present work, classical two-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships (2D QSAR) and hologram QSAR (HQSAR) studies were performed on a training set of 45 thiosemicarbazone and semicarbazone derivatives as inhibitors of T. cruzi cruzain. Significant statistical models (HQSAR, q² = 0.75 and r² = 0.96; classical QSAR, q² = 0.72 and r² = 0.83) were obtained, indicating their consistency for untested compounds. The models were then used to evaluate an external test set containing 10 compounds which were not included in the training set, and the predicted values were in good agreement with the experimental results (HQSAR, = 0.95; classical QSAR, = 0.91), indicating the existence of complementary between the two ligand-based drug design techniques.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: choline acetyltransferase activity in tissues of susceptible and resistant mice infected with the Brazil strain

In order to ascertain if there were biochemical differences in the autonomic nervous system of both C57BL/6-(resistant) and C3H/HeJ-(susceptible) mice infected with the “Brazil” strain of Trypanosoma cruzi we studied the depletion of the enzyme, choline acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.6) in the hearts and brains of these infected mice. In the hearts of C3H/HeJ mice, a 30–35% depletion of choline acetyltransferase was evident by day 7 of infection, a time characterized by lack of obvious parasitemia and frank morphological changes in the myocardium or atrial ganglia. When these mice were moribund (day 25) the depletion of choline acetyltransferase was approximately 40%. Myocardial inflammation, necrosis, and increased pseudocyst numbers were evident as the infection proceeded and as the parasitemia rose. In addition, right atrial ganglia were involved with inflammatory cells but were devoid of amastigotes. In resistant (B6) mice choline acetyltransferase levels were not depleted during the course of infection. Brain choline acetyltransferase levels were significantly depleted in moribund C3H mice but there were no frank morphological changes. Extracts of T. cruzi were devoid of any substances capable of inhibiting choline acetyltransferase. Choline acetyltransferase depletion in the hearts of infected susceptible animals precedes morphological alteration. Depletion of this enzyme may be utilized as an early parameter of infection.     

Relationships between altitude,triatomine (Triatoma dimidiata) immune response and virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi,the causal agent of Chagas' disease

Little is known about how the virulence of a human pathogen varies in the environment it shares with its vector. This study focused on whether the virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi (Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae), the causal agent of Chagas' disease, is related to altitude. Accordingly, Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) specimens were collected at three different altitudes (300, 700 and 1400 m a.s.l.) in Chiapas, Mexico. The parasite was then isolated to infect uninfected T. dimidiata from the same altitudes, as well as female CD‐1 mice. The response variables were phenoloxidase (PO) activity, a key insect immune response, parasitaemia in mice, and amastigote numbers in the heart, oesophagus, gastrocnemius and brain of the rodents. The highest levels of PO activity, parasitaemia and amastigotes were found for Tryp. cruzi isolates sourced from 700 m a.s.l., particularly in the mouse brain. A polymerase chain reaction‐based analysis indicated that all Tryp. cruzi isolates belonged to a Tryp. cruzi I lineage. Thus, Tryp. cruzi from 700 m a.s.l. may be more dangerous than sources at other altitudes. At this altitude, T. dimidiata is more common, apparently because the conditions are more beneficial to its development. Control strategies should focus activity at altitudes around 700 m a.s.l., at least in relation to the region of the present study sites.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: Role of different antibody classes in protection against infection in the mouse

Immune serum obtained from mice with a chronic infection of Trypanosoma cruzi was fractionated on Sephadex G-200 or on protein ASepharose 4B. Mice were infected with a standard infective dose of T. cruzi 24 hr after injection with either IgM, IgG, IgG1, or IgG2 + IgG3 fractions. Mice were also pretreated with immune serum depleted by affinity chromatography of either IgG2a, IgG2b, or both subclasses before infection with T. cruzi. Control mice were pretreated with normal mouse serum or immune serum depleted of IgG. The parasitemia and survival of the animals were determined and used as parameters of protection. The results of these experiments demonstrated that the protective antibodies were mostly IgG2 and seem to be preferentially located in IgG2b subclass. IgM and IgG1 fractions were very little, if any, protection.     

Gastrointestinal infection with Mexican TcI Trypanosoma cruzi strains: different degrees of colonization and diverse immune responses

Mexican Ninoa and Queretaro (Qro) TcI strains of Trypanosoma cruzi have shown different degrees of virulence, and the two strains produce heterogeneous immune responses in the hearts of infected mice. This work shows that the same strains can invade the intestine by an intraperitoneal route and establish an infection, mainly in the colon. The three segments of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) were infected to a lesser degree than the colon. Despite the fact that parasites were predominantly found in the colon, an obvious inflammatory reaction was observed in the submucosal layer along the entire intestinal tract, with the virulent Qro strain causing significantly more areas of higher immune infiltration. A clear recruitment of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes to the mesenteric ganglia was observed during infection with the virulent strain. Macrophages were also differentially distributed in the gastrointestinal tract. These later cells infiltrated fewer amastigote nests in the mice infected with the Qro strain than in the mice infected with the Ninoa strain. When IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-4 levels were measured, an increase in these cytokines was observed compared with the uninfected mice. The role of these inflammatory reactions in the pathogenesis of Chagas enteropathy is also discussed in this paper.     

Structure-based approach to pharmacophore identification, in silico screening, and three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship studies for inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi dihydrofolate reductase function

We have employed a structure-based three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) approach to predict the biochemical activity for inhibitors of T. cruzi dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS). Crystal structures of complexes of the enzyme with eight different inhibitors of the DHFR activity together with the structure in the substrate-free state (DHFR domain) were used to validate and refine docking poses of ligands that constitute likely active conformations. Structural information from these complexes formed the basis for the structure-based alignment used as input for the QSAR study. Contrary to indirect ligand-based approaches the strategy described here employs a direct receptor-based approach. The goal is to generate a library of selective lead inhibitors for further development as antiparasitic agents. 3D-QSAR models were obtained for T. cruzi DHFR-TS (30 inhibitors in learning set) and human DHFR (36 inhibitors in learning set) that show a very good agreement between experimental and predicted enzyme inhibition data. For crossvalidation of the QSAR model(s), we have used the 10% leave-one-out method. The derived 3D-QSAR models were tested against a few selected compounds (a small test set of six inhibitors for each enzyme) with known activity, which were not part of the learning set, and the quality of prediction of the initial 3D-QSAR models demonstrated that such studies are feasible. Further refinement of the models through integration of additional activity data and optimization of reliable docking poses is expected to lead to an improved predictive ability.