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Infect. Immun., 02 1997, 457-465, Vol 65, No. 2
EC Lima, I Garcia, MH Vicentelli, P Vassalli and P Minoprio
A possible role for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha during Trypanosoma
cruzi infection was explored by using transgenic mice expressing in blood
high levels of a soluble TNFR1-FcIgG3 fusion protein, which neutralizes the
effects of TNF in vivo. Nontransgenic littermates were used as controls.
The transgenic mice showed high susceptibility to T. cruzi infection.
Inocula sublethal for control mice resulted in over 80% mortality
associated with higher levels of parasites in the blood. In histological
sections of the hearts of transgenic mice, large parasitic clusters without
inflammatory cell infiltrates around the parasites were seen, while smaller
parasitic clusters associated with leukocytes were seen in control mice. No
difference in specific antibody response or lymphocyte composition of the
spleen was found between transgenic and control mice, although the
unresponsiveness of spleen cells to concanavalin A stimulation in vitro,
typical of the acute phase of T. cruzi infection, was less pronounced in
transgenic mice. Infected transgenic mice produced higher levels of gamma
interferon than did control mice. These results confirm that TNF is
involved in mechanisms leading to parasite clearance and protection from
death in the acute phase of T. cruzi infection. More importantly, the data
reveal that TNF is necessary for the establishment of effective tissue
inflammation and parasite load control in acute experimental Chagas'
disease myocarditis.
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology
Evidence for a protective role of tumor necrosis factor in the acute phase of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice
Unite de Parasitologie Experimentale, URA 1961 CNRS, Departement d'Immunologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
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