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Phenotypic Features of Peripheral Blood Leucocytes During Early Stages of Human Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi
Author(s) -
SathlerAvelar R.,
Lemos E. M.,
Reis D. D.,
MedranoMercado N.,
AraújoJorge T. C.,
Antas P. R. Z.,
CorrêaOliveira R.,
TeixeiraCarvalho A.,
ElóiSantos S. M.,
Favato D.,
MartinsFilho O. A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2003.01340.x
Subject(s) - immunology , biology , trypanosoma cruzi , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , cd16 , antigen , population , monocyte , phenotype , chagas disease , immune system , in vitro , medicine , cd8 , cd3 , genetics , parasite hosting , gene , environmental health , world wide web , computer science
We performed a cross‐sectional flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to evaluate human immunologic status during early stages of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in children. We identified major immunological features corresponding to three proposed phases of disease: early acute (EA) phase, late acute (LA) phase and recent chronic (RC) phase. EA phase was accompanied by expansion of conventional B cells, up‐regulation of CD54 on monocytes and down‐regulation of CD54 on T cells and not associated with monocyte‐activation phenotypes or changes of natural killer (NK) population. LA phase was characterized by a selective increase in a distinct lineage of NK cells (CD16 + CD56 – ), as well as a persistent expansion of B cells and down‐regulation of CD54 on T cells. RC phase showed persistent low levels of CD54 molecule on T cells and an increase of B cells, mainly triggered by expansion of the B1‐cell subset, as well as increased expression of human leucocyte antigen (HLA‐DR) by monocytes. These findings reinforce the hypothesis that T. cruzi ‐derived antigens are able to activate NK cells before the development of T‐cell‐mediated immunity. Moreover, our data support previous findings of increased levels of B1 lymphocytes during human Chagas' disease and show that this event is already present during initial stages of chronic infection.