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Cytokine responses in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected children in Paraguay
M Samudio1, S Montenegro-James, M Cabral
1Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Asuncion, Paraguay.
Insights
Children infected with Trypanosoma cruzi show distinct immune responses. Early immune patterns may influence the severity of chronic Chagas
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
Background:
- Chronic Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy development is influenced by parasite and host immune factors.
- Trypanosoma cruzi infection affects children aged 5-14, a group experiencing early infection phases.
- Understanding T. cruzi-specific immune responses in children is crucial for predicting disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze T. cruzi-specific cytokine profiles in infected children from an endemic area.
- To investigate the relationship between cytokine gene expression and clinical status in early Chagas' disease.
- To hypothesize the role of specific cytokine patterns in modulating parasite burden and disease severity.
Main Methods:
- Study included 25 seropositive children (5-14 years) from Paraguay, categorized as acute (n=2) or early indeterminate (n=23).
- Analyzed Trypanosoma cruzi-induced cytokine gene expression, including interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), IL-4, and IL-10.
- Compared cytokine profiles between acutely infected and asymptomatic (early indeterminate) groups.
Main Results:
- Acutely infected children exhibited a T helper cell-1 (Th1)-type response, characterized by IFN-gamma expression.
- Seropositive, asymptomatic children displayed a Th0-type cytokine pattern, with expression of both IFN-gamma and IL-4.
- Distinct cytokine profiles were observed correlating with the clinical presentation of early T. cruzi infection.
Conclusions:
- The study suggests that a Th0-type cytokine pattern in early, indeterminate Chagas' disease may help suppress parasite load.
- This immune response pattern could potentially delay the onset or reduce the severity of chronic Chagas' disease.
- Further research is warranted to confirm the protective role of Th0 responses in long-term Chagas' disease outcomes.
Abstract:
Both parasite and host immune factors may contribute to the development and progression of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy during Trypanosoma cruzi infections. The present study targeted infected children (5-14 years of age) from an endemic area of Paraguay in an analysis of T. cruzi-specific cytokine profiles. This age group is characteristically the most affected by the early phases of infection. Trypanosoma cruzi-induced cytokine gene expression (interleukin-2 [IL-2], and interferon-gamma [IFN-gamma], IL-4, and IL-10) was studied in 25 seropositive children categorized as being either acute, symptomatic, with Romana's sign (n = 2), or early, indeterminate (postacute, n = 23). Acutely infected children showed a distinct T helper cell-1 (Th1)-type (IFN-gamma) cytokine response to infection. The cytokine pattern that was observed in the seropositive, asymptomatic (early, indeterminate) group was of the Th0 type (expression of both IFN-gamma and IL-4). We hypothesize that selective induction of a Th0-type cytokine pattern is important for development of cell-mediated and humoral immune responses that suppress parasite burden, thereby prolonging the onset or limiting the severity of chronic Chagas' disease later in life.