Study of phenotype and specific CD8 + T cells function in immunized and/or infected mice by Trypanosoma cruzi after treatment with chemokine receptor blockers

• Grant number: 15/24249-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2015
• End date: November 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Jose Ronnie Carvalho de Vasconcelos
• Grantee: Leonardo Moro Cariste
• Host Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 12/22514-3 - Migration study of specific T cells generated by vaccination or Trypanosoma cruzi infection, AP.JP

Abstract

CD8 + T cells play a key role in protective immunity against intracellular pathogens such as, for example, Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease. Integrins, adhesion molecules and chemokine receptors may play a critical role in this process allowing these cells to migrate to non-lymphoid peripheral tissues to exert effector function. Some studies have shown that type-1 chemokine receptors such as, for example, CXCR3, CCR5 and CXCR4 play an important role in migration of T cells to the site of infection, and in the case of CXCR3 in the generation of memory T cells in models of viral infection. As a result, the overall objective of this project is to study the role of CXCR3 chemokine receptor in protective immunity against experimental T. cruzi infection in immunized mice. To this end, mice with different genetic backgrounds will be immunized with different protocols containing genes which encode proteins expressed in the different forms of the parasite. Next will be infected and treated with anti-CXCR3 monoclonal antibodies. With these experiments we observe occur if increased susceptibility in these mice. This study will be important for vaccine development as well as demonstrating the role of this molecule in migration of CD8 + T lymphocytes specific. (AU)