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Infection and Immunity, April 2007, p. 1878-1885, Vol. 75, No. 4
0019-9567/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.01452-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effects of Exogenous Transforming Growth Factor ß on Trypanosoma congolense Infection in Mice

Boniface Namangala,^1, Chihiro Sugimoto,² and Noboru Inoue^1*

National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan,¹ Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan²

Received 11 September 2006/ Returned for modification 19 October 2006/ Accepted 21 January 2007

The socioeconomic implications of trypanosomosis in sub-Saharan Africa and the limitations of its current control regimes have stimulated research into alternative control methods. Considering the pro- and anti-inflammatory properties of transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) and its potential to enhance immunity against protozoan parasites, we examined the effects of intraperitoneally delivered TGF-ß1 in C57BL/6 mice infected with Trypanosoma congolense, the hemoprotozoan parasite causing nagana in cattle. A triple dose of 10 ng TGF-ß1 significantly reduced the first parasitemic peak and delayed mortality of infected mice. Furthermore, exogenous TGF-ß1 significantly decreased the development of trypanosome-induced anemia and splenomegaly. The apparent TGF-ß1-induced antitrypanosome protection, occurring mainly during the early stage of infection, correlated with an enhanced parasite antigen-specific Th1 cell response characterized by a skewed type I cytokine response and a concomitant stronger antitrypanosome immunoglobulin G2a antibody response. Infected TGF-ß1-pretreated mice exhibited a significant reduction in the trypanosome-induced hyperexpansion of B cells. Furthermore, evidence is provided herein that exogenous TGF-ß1 activates macrophages that may contribute to parasite control. Collectively, these data indicate that exogenous TGF-ß1 is immunostimulative, inducing partial protection against T. congolense infection, possibly through mechanisms involving innate immune responses.

Published ahead of print on 29 January 2007.

Editor: W. A. Petri, Jr.

Present address: University of Zambia, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Paraclinical Studies, Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.