title: Trypanosoma cruzi infection beats the B-cell compartment favouring parasite establishment: can we strike first?
abstract: Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease, may sabotage humoral response by affecting B cells at the different stages of its development. The present review highlights the contributions of our laboratory in understanding how T. cruzi hinders B-cell generation and B-cell expansion limiting host defence and favouring its chronic establishment. We discuss how homoeostatic mechanisms can be triggered to control exacerbated B-cell proliferation that favour T. cruzi infection by eliminating parasite-specific B cells. Specific targeting of evasion mechanisms displayed in T. cruzi infection, as in vivo Fas/FasL blockade or Gal-3 expression inhibition, allowed us to modulate B-cell responses enhancing the anti-parasite humoral immune response. A comprehensive understanding of the biology of the B cell in health and disease is strictly required to devise immunointervention strategies aimed at enhancing protective immune responses during infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Chemical Science, National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Acosta Rodriguez
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Zuniga
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Montes
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bermejo
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Amezcua Vesely
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Motran
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gruppi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*