Chemokine CC receptor 2 is important for acute control of cardiac parasitism but does not contribute to cardiac inflammation after infection with Trypanosoma cruzi.
The CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) are expressed in the heart after infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, suggesting that they play an important role in host defense. Infection of CCR2-deficient (CCR2(-/-)) mice with T. cruzi resulted in increased cardiac parasitism, yet the severity of cardiac inflammation was not affected. In addition, expression of interferon- gamma and inducible NO synthase in the heart, which are associated with effective killing of trypomastigotes, was not affected in CCR2(-/-) mice. These observations reveal that CCR2 signaling plays a distinct role that is separate from that of influencing either chemotaxis or previously defined anti-trypomastigote mechanisms for the control of T. cruzi's replication in the heart.
Hardison
Jenny L
JL
Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, 92697-3900, USA.
Kuziel
William A
WA
Manning
Jerry E
JE
Lane
Thomas E
TE
D000818:Animals; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000469:parasitology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009206:Myocardium / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000276:immunology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*
C515335:Ccr2 protein, mouse; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma