Differential phenotypic and functional profile of epitope-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in benznidazole-treated chronic asymptomatic Chagas disease patients

Publication date: Available online 6 December 2019Source: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of DiseaseAuthor(s): Adriana Egui, Manuel Carlos López, Inmaculada Gómez, Marina Simón, Manuel Segovia, M. Carmen ThomasAbstractOne of the greatest challenges in Chagas disease research is the search for tools that will enable the assessment of pharmacological treatment efficacy. A recently described set of serological biomarkers composed of four parasite antigens and established criteria of treatment efficacy allowed the evaluation of the impact of benznidazole treatment a short/medium time after the treatment. In addition, cellular immunological parameters have also been described as potential indicators of the treatment response. The cytotoxic CD8+ T cells specific to five epitopes in the PFR2, PFR3, TcCA-2 and KMP11 antigens have been analysed, and these epitopes have been shown to be recognized, processed and presented in the context of a natural T. cruzi infection. In the present manuscript, we characterized these antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in indeterminate chronic Chagas disease patients both before and after (from 11 to 28 months) benznidazole treatment. The results indicate that there is a differential memory CD8+ T cell profile depending on the antigenic epitope and that the benznidazole treatment modulates the memory, differentiation and senescence phenotypes of the epitope-specific CD8+ T cells. Moreover, in these patients, the reactivity of sera...
Source: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) Molecular Basis of Disease - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research