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Puerta CJ, Cuellar A, Lasso P, Mateus J, Gonzalez JM. Trypanosoma cruzi-specific CD8 + T cells and other immunological hallmarks in chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy: Two decades of research. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 12:1075717. [PMID: 36683674 PMCID: PMC9846209 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1075717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease, has coexisted with humans for thousands of years. Therefore, the parasite has developed several mechanisms of antigenic variability that has allowed it to live inside the cells and evade the host immune response. Since T. cruzi displays an intracellular cycle-stage, our research team focused on providing insights into the CD8+ T cells immune response in chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy. We began our work in the 2000s studying parasite antigens that induce natural immune responses such as the KMP11 protein and TcTLE, its N-terminal derived peptide. Different approaches allowed us to reveal TcTLE peptide as a promiscuous CD8+ T cell epitope, able of inducing multifunctional cellular immune responses and eliciting a humoral response capable of decreasing parasite movement and infective capacity. Next, we demonstrated that as the disease progresses, total CD8+ T cells display a dysfunctional state characterized by a prolonged hyper-activation state along with an increase of inhibitory receptors (2B4, CD160, PD-1, TIM-3, CTLA-4) expression, an increase of specific terminal effector T cells (TTE), a decrease of proliferative capacity, a decrease of stem cell memory (TSCM) frequency, and a decrease of CD28 and CD3ζ expression. Thus, parasite-specific CD8+ T cells undergo clonal exhaustion, distinguished by an increase in late-differentiated cells, a mono-functional response, and enhanced expression of inhibitory receptors. Finally, it was found that anti-parasitic treatment induces an improved CD8+ T cell response in asymptomatic individuals, and a mouse animal model led us to establish a correlation between the quality of the CD8+ T cell responses and the outcome of chronic infection. In the future, using OMICs strategies, the identification of the specific cellular signals involved in disease progression will provide an invaluable resource for discovering new biomarkers of progression or new vaccine and immunotherapy strategies. Also, the inclusion of the TcTLE peptide in the rational design of epitope-based vaccines, the development of immunotherapy strategies using TSCM or the blocking of inhibitory receptors, and the use of the CD8+ T cell response quality to follow treatments, immunotherapies or vaccines, all are alternatives than could be explored in the fight against Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concepción J Puerta
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Microbiology, School of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Cuellar
- Clinical Laboratory Sciences Group, Department of Microbiology, School of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paola Lasso
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Microbiology, School of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jose Mateus
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Microbiology, School of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - John M Gonzalez
- Group of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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Egui A, Lasso P, Pérez-Antón E, Thomas MC, López MC. Dynamics of T Cells Repertoire During Trypanosoma cruzi Infection and its Post-Treatment Modulation. Curr Med Chem 2018; 26:6519-6543. [PMID: 30381063 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666181101111819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease courses with different clinical phases and has a variable clinical presentation and progression. The acute infection phase mostly exhibits a non-specific symptomatology. In the absence of treatment, the acute phase is followed by a chronic phase, which is initially asymptomatic. This chronic asymptomatic phase of the disease is characterized by a fragile balance between the host's immune response and the parasite replication. The loss of this balance is crucial for the progression of the sickness. The virulence and tropism of the T. cruzi infecting strain together to the inflammation processes in the cardiac tissue are the main factors for the establishment and severity of the cardiomyopathy. The efficacy of treatment in chronic Chagas disease patients is controversial. However, several studies carried out in chronic patients demonstrated that antiparasitic treatment reduces parasite load in the bloodstream and leads to an improvement in the immune response against the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite. The present review is mainly focused on the cellular patterns associated to the clinical status and the evolution of the disease in chronic patients, as well as the effectiveness of the treatment related to T. cruzi infection control. Therefore, an emphasis is placed on the dynamics of specific-antigens T cell subpopulations, their memory and activation phenotypes, their functionality and their contribution to pathogenesis or disease control, as well as their association with risk of congenital transmission of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Egui
- Instituto de Parasitologia y Biomedicina Lopez-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; Granada, Spain
| | - Paola Lasso
- Grupo de Inmunobiologia y Biologia Celular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; Bogota, Colombia
| | - Elena Pérez-Antón
- Instituto de Parasitologia y Biomedicina Lopez-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; Granada, Spain
| | - M Carmen Thomas
- Instituto de Parasitologia y Biomedicina Lopez-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Carlos López
- Instituto de Parasitologia y Biomedicina Lopez-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; Granada, Spain
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Ripoll JG, Giraldo NA, Bolaños NI, Roa N, Rosas F, Cuéllar A, Puerta CJ, González JM. T cells responding to Trypanosoma cruzi detected by membrane TNF-α and CD154 in chagasic patients. IMMUNITY INFLAMMATION AND DISEASE 2017; 6:47-57. [PMID: 28967229 PMCID: PMC5818450 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Chagas disease is a parasitic infection whose pathogenesis is related to parasite persistence and a dysfunctional cellular immune response. Variability in cytokine secretion among chronic Trypanosoma cruzi‐infected patients might preclude the identification of the pool of antigen specific T cells. The goal of this study was to determine the fraction of T cells responding to T. cruzi antigen measured by the expression of membrane TNF‐α and CD154. Methods A total of 21 chagasic patients, 11 healthy and 5 non‐chagasic cardiomyopathy controls were analyzed. PBMCs were short‐term cultured in the presence of anti‐CD28, anti‐CD49d, anti‐TNF‐α, and TACE (TNF‐α converting enzyme) inhibitor either under T. cruzi‐lysate or polyclonal stimuli. Cells were stained with anti‐CD3, anti‐CD4, anti‐CD8, and anti‐CD154, and analyzed with flow cytometry. Results CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in chagasic patients displayed higher percentages of membrane‐bound TNF‐α+ and CD154+ compared with controls after T. cruzi‐antigen stimulation. Both markers displayed a positive correlation in the T cell subpopulations analyzed. Symptomatic chagasic patients were differentiated from asymptomatic patients based on the expression of CD154 and membrane TNF‐α in TCD4+ and TCD8+ compartments, respectively. Conclusions These results show that both markers could be useful for assessing the pool of antigen‐specific T cells in chronic chagasic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan G Ripoll
- Grupo de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Nicolás A Giraldo
- Grupo de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Natalia I Bolaños
- Grupo de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Nubia Roa
- Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Adriana Cuéllar
- Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Concepción J Puerta
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - John M González
- Grupo de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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Lasso P, Cárdenas C, Guzmán F, Rosas F, Thomas MC, López MC, González JM, Cuéllar A, Campanera JM, Luque FJ, Puerta CJ. Effect of secondary anchor amino acid substitutions on the immunogenic properties of an HLA-A*0201-restricted T cell epitope derived from the Trypanosoma cruzi KMP-11 protein. Peptides 2016; 78:68-76. [PMID: 26854383 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The TcTLE peptide (TLEEFSAKL) is a CD8(+) T cell HLA-A*0201-restricted epitope derived from the Trypanosoma cruzi KMP-11 protein that is efficiently processed, presented and recognized by CD8(+) T cells from chagasic patients. Since the immunogenic properties of wild-type epitopes may be enhanced by suitable substitutions in secondary anchor residues, we have studied the effect of introducing specific mutations at position 3, 6 and 7 of the TcTLE peptide. Mutations (E3L, S6V and A7F) were chosen on the basis of in silico predictions and in vitro assays were performed to determine the TcTLE-modified peptide binding capacity to the HLA-A*0201 molecule. In addition, the functional activity of peptide-specific CD8(+) T cells in HLA-A2(+) chagasic patients was also interrogated. In contrast to bioinformatics predictions, the TcTLE-modified peptide was found to have lower binding affinity and stability than the original peptide. Nevertheless, CD8(+) T cells from chronic chagasic patients recognized the TcTLE-modified peptide producing TNF-α and INF-γ and expressing CD107a/b, though in less extension than the response triggered by the original peptide. Overall, although the amino acids at positions 3, 6 and 7 of TcTLE are critical for the peptide affinity, they have a limited effect on the immunogenic properties of the TcTLE epitope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Lasso
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No. 43-82, Bogotá D.C., Colombia; Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No. 43-82, Bogotá D.C., Colombia; Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avenida del Conocimiento, s/n.18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Constanza Cárdenas
- Núcleo de Biotecnología Curauma, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Universidad 330, Curauma, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fanny Guzmán
- Núcleo de Biotecnología Curauma, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Universidad 330, Curauma, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fernando Rosas
- Instituto de Arritmias Joseph Brugada, Fundación Clínica Abood Shaio, Diagonal 115A No. 70C-75, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - María Carmen Thomas
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avenida del Conocimiento, s/n.18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Carlos López
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avenida del Conocimiento, s/n.18016, Granada, Spain
| | - John Mario González
- Grupo de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 No. 18A-10, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Adriana Cuéllar
- Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No. 43-82, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Josep Maria Campanera
- Departament de Fisicoquímica, Facultat de Farmàcia and Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Javier Luque
- Departament de Fisicoquímica, Facultat de Farmàcia and Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Concepción Judith Puerta
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No. 43-82, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.
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Lasso P, Beltrán L, Guzmán F, Rosas F, Thomas MC, López MC, González JM, Cuéllar A, Puerta CJ. Promiscuous Recognition of a Trypanosoma cruzi CD8+ T Cell Epitope among HLA-A2, HLA-A24 and HLA-A1 Supertypes in Chagasic Patients. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150996. [PMID: 26974162 PMCID: PMC4790940 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 02/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background TcTLE is a nonamer peptide from Trypanosoma cruzi KMP-11 protein that is conserved among different parasite strains and that is presented by different HLA-A molecules from the A2 supertype. Because peptides presented by several major histocompatibility complex (MHC) supertypes are potential targets for immunotherapy, the aim of this study was to determine whether MHC molecules other than the A2 supertype present the TcTLE peptide. Methodology/Principal Findings From 36 HLA-A2-negative chagasic patients, the HLA-A genotypes of twenty-eight patients with CD8+ T cells that recognized the TcTLE peptide using tetramer (twenty) or functional (eight) assays, were determined. SSP-PCR was used to identify the A locus and the allelic variants. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the frequency of TcTLE-specific CD8+ T cells, and their functional activity (IFN-γ, TNFα, IL-2, perforin, granzyme and CD107a/b production) was induced by exposure to the TcTLE peptide. All patients tested had TcTLE-specific CD8+ T cells with frequencies ranging from 0.07–0.37%. Interestingly, seven of the twenty-eight patients had HLA-A homozygous alleles: A*24 (5 patients), A*23 (1 patient) and A*01 (1 patient), which belong to the A24 and A1 supertypes. In the remaining 21 patients with HLA-A heterozygous alleles, the most prominent alleles were A24 and A68. The most common allele sub-type was A*2402 (sixteen patients), which belongs to the A24 supertype, followed by A*6802 (six patients) from the A2 supertype. Additionally, the A*3002/A*3201 alleles from the A1 supertype were detected in one patient. All patients presented CD8+ T cells producing at least one cytokine after TcTLE peptide stimulation. Conclusion/Significance These results show that TcTLE is a promiscuous peptide that is presented by the A24 and A1 supertypes, in addition to the A2 supertype, suggesting its potential as a target for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Lasso
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, CSIC, PTS-Granada, Granada, España
| | - Lina Beltrán
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Fanny Guzmán
- Núcleo de Biotecnología Curauma (NBC), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fernando Rosas
- Instituto de Arritmias Joseph Brugada, Fundación Clínica Abood Shaio, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - M. Carmen Thomas
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, CSIC, PTS-Granada, Granada, España
| | - Manuel Carlos López
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, CSIC, PTS-Granada, Granada, España
| | - John Mario González
- Grupo de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Cuéllar
- Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Concepción J. Puerta
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
- * E-mail:
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Lasso P, Mateus J, Pavía P, Rosas F, Roa N, Thomas MC, López MC, González JM, Puerta CJ, Cuéllar A. Inhibitory Receptor Expression on CD8+ T Cells Is Linked to Functional Responses against Trypanosoma cruzi Antigens in Chronic Chagasic Patients. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 195:3748-58. [PMID: 26385520 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1500459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, chronic diseases resulting from infectious agents have been associated with functional T cell response deficiency, a high frequency of terminally differentiated T cells, the presence of monofunctional Ag-specific T cells, and increased expression of inhibitory receptors. Similar to other chronic diseases, the progressive loss of certain functional activities during Trypanosoma cruzi infection might result in the inability to control replication of this parasite. To examine this hypothesis, we evaluated the differentiation and cell effector function of CD8(+) T cells and characterized the expression of inhibitory receptors and the presence of the parasite in the bloodstream of chagasic patients. The results showed that patients at an advanced severe disease stage had a higher frequency of terminally differentiated CD8(+) T cells than patients at an early stage of the disease. A monofunctional CD8(+) T cell response was observed in patients at an advanced stage, whereas the coexpression of markers that perform three and four functions in response to parasite Ags was observed in patients at a less severe disease stage. The frequency of CD8(+) T cells producing granzyme B and perforin and those expressing inhibitory receptors was higher in symptomatic patients than in asymptomatic patients. Taken together, these findings suggest that during the course of Chagas disease, CD8(+) T cells undergo a gradual loss of function characterized by impaired cytokine production, the presence of advanced differentiation, and increased inhibitory receptor coexpression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Lasso
- Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110321 Bogotá, Colombia; Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110321 Bogotá, Colombia; Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Jose Mateus
- Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110321 Bogotá, Colombia; Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110321 Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paula Pavía
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110321 Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Fernando Rosas
- Instituto de Arritmias Joseph Brugada, Fundación Clínica Abood Shaio, 111121 Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Nubia Roa
- Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110321 Bogotá, Colombia; and
| | - M Carmen Thomas
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel C López
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - John M González
- Grupo de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, 111711 Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Concepción J Puerta
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110321 Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Cuéllar
- Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110321 Bogotá, Colombia;
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