title: Trypanosoma cruzi and its components as exogenous mediators of inflammation recognized through Toll-like receptors.
abstract: Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas' disease, a parasitic disease of enormous importance in Latin America. Herein we review the studies that revealed the receptors from innate immunity that are involved in the recognition of this protozoan parasite. We showed that the recognition of T. cruzi and its components occurs through Toll-like receptors (TLR) 2/CD14. Further, we showed in vivo the importance of the myeloid differentiation factor (MyD88), an adapter protein essential for the function of TLRs, in determining the parasitemia and mortality rate of mice infected with T. cruzi. We also discuss the implications of these findings in the pathophysiology of Chagas' disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopathology, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, FIOCRUZ, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, Barro Preto, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. marcoasc@cpqrr.fiocruz.br
authors.forename: Marco A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Ricardo T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Gazzinelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000469:parasitology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology*; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C495342:TLR2 protein, human; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors