Modulation of B-lymphocyte and NK cell activities by glycoinositolphospholipid purified from Trypanosoma cruzi
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 18, 2026

Establishment of Larval Zebrafish as an Animal Model to Investigate Trypanosoma cruzi Motility In Vivo
Published on: September 30, 2017
L B De Arruda Hinds1, L M Previato, J O Previato
1Department of Immunology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Glycoinositolphospholipids (GIPLs) are some of the major glycolipids of the Trypanosoma cruzi surface that were previously shown to activate B cells. In the present study, we investigated whether (i) T. cruzi GIPLs could induce immunoglobulin secretion from B cells in the absence of T cells and NK cells and whether (ii) NK cells are also stimulated by the GIPLs. B cells purified from mice deficient in both T and NK cells (CD3epsilon transgenic mice) secreted immunoglobulin in response to the GIPL. This response was increased by coculture with a murine NK cell line. The T. cruzi GIPL also increased the NK cell (interleukin-2 induced) proliferative response. Our data indicate that the T. cruzi GIPL has a direct stimulatory effect on NK cells and induces immunoglobulin secretion in the absence of T lymphocytes and NK cells. These findings suggest that this T. cruzi-derived molecule may be one of the stimulators that lead to NK cell activation during T. cruzi infection.
Glycoinositolphospholipids (GIPLs) are some of the major glycolipids of the Trypanosoma cruzi surface that were previously shown to activate B cells. In the present study, we investigated whether (i) T. cruzi GIPLs could induce immunoglobulin secretion from B cells in the absence of T cells and NK cells and whether (ii) NK cells are also stimulated by the GIPLs. B cells purified from mice deficient in both T and NK cells (CD3epsilon transgenic mice) secreted immunoglobulin in response to the GIPL. This response was increased by coculture with a murine NK cell line. The T. cruzi GIPL also increased the NK cell (interleukin-2 induced) proliferative response. Our data indicate that the T. cruzi GIPL has a direct stimulatory effect on NK cells and induces immunoglobulin secretion in the absence of T lymphocytes and NK cells. These findings suggest that this T. cruzi-derived molecule may be one of the stimulators that lead to NK cell activation during T. cruzi infection.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
B Cell Activation and Differentiation
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...
American Trypanosomiasis
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...

