Paracoccidioides brasiliensis lipids modulate macrophage activity via Toll-dependent or independent mechanisms.

The macrophages are the first host cells that interact with the fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, but the main mechanisms that regulate this interaction are not well understood. Because the role played by P. brasiliensis lipids in macrophage activation was not previously investigated, we aimed to assess the influence of diverse lipid fractions from P.

Platelet-activating factor-like activity isolated from Trypanosoma cruzi.

Platelet-activating factor is a phospholipid mediator that exhibits a wide variety of physiological and pathophysiological effects, including induction of inflammatory response, chemotaxis and cellular differentiation. Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, is transmitted by triatomine insects and while in the triatomine midgut the parasite differentiates from a non-infective epimastigote stage into the pathogenic trypomastigote metacyclic form. We have previously demonstrated that platelet activating factor triggers in vitro cell differentiation of T.