Specific antibodies induce apoptosis in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes.

The susceptibility of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes to lysis by normal or immune sera in a complement-dependent reaction has been reported. Mouse immune sera depleted complement-induced damage in epimastigotes characterized by morphological changes and death. The purpose of this work was to study the mechanism of death in epimastigotes exposed to decomplemented mouse immune serum.

Taenia crassiceps cysticercosis: variations in its parasite growth permissiveness that encounter with local immune features in BALB/c substrains.

This study describes the first days of Taenia crassiceps infection in BALB/c substrains, BALB/cAnN and BALB/cJ, using two stocks of the same strains which were kept in different animal facilities, conventional and pathogen-free conditions, respectively. This study shows that parasite growth restriction shown by conventional BALB/cJ mice changed to parasite growth permissiveness when pathogen-free BALB/cJ mice were used. In addition, the higher number of macrophages, NK cells and intraperitoneal level of IFN-gamma found in the conventional restrictive BALB/cJ substrain vanished when the permissiveness to the parasite growth increased.

Leishmania mexicana: inhibition of camptothecin-induced apoptosis of monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Macrophages (Mphi) and dendritic cells (DC) are the major target cell populations of the obligate intracellular parasite Leishmania. Inhibition of host cell apoptosis is a method employed by multiple pathogens to ensure their survival in the infected cell. Leishmania has been shown to protect Mphi and neutrophils from both natural and induced apoptosis.

Perturbation of the dimer interface of triosephosphate isomerase and its effect on Trypanosoma cruzi.

Background: Chagas disease affects around 18 million people in the American continent. Unfortunately, there is no satisfactory treatment for the disease. The drugs currently used are not specific and exert serious toxic effects.