title: Deficiency in mannose-binding lectin-associated serine protease-2 does not increase susceptibility to Trypanosoma cruzi infection.
abstract: Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas' disease, a chronic illness affecting 10 million people around the world. The complement system plays an important role in fighting microbial infections. The recognition molecules of the lectin pathway of complement activation, mannose-binding lectin (MBL), ficolins, and CL-11, bind to specific carbohydrates on pathogens, triggering complement activation through MBL-associated serine protease-2 (MASP-2). Previous in vitro work showed that human MBL and ficolins contribute to T. cruzi lysis. However, MBL-deficient mice are only moderately compromised in their defense against the parasite, as they may still activate the lectin pathway through ficolins and CL-11. Here, we assessed MASP-2-deficient mice, the only presently available mouse line with total lectin pathway deficiency, for a phenotype in T. cruzi infection. Total absence of lectin pathway functional activity did not confer higher susceptibility to T. cruzi infection, suggesting that it plays a minor role in the immune response against this parasite.
authors.affiliation: Programa Disciplinario de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt chager@med.uchile.cl.
authors.forename: Carolina H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Programa Disciplinario de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.affiliation: Programa Disciplinario de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors.forename: Cordula M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Stover
authors.affiliation: Programa Disciplinario de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors.forename: Youssif M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Programa Disciplinario de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Valck
authors.affiliation: Programa Disciplinario de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Noya-Leal
authors.affiliation: Programa Disciplinario de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors.forename: Wilhelm J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Schwaeble
authors.affiliation: Programa Disciplinario de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000502:physiology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050606:Mannose-Binding Protein-Associated Serine Proteases / Q000172:deficiency*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D059208:Parasite Load; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D050606:Mannose-Binding Protein-Associated Serine Proteases