Bone marrow-derived macrophages grown in GM-CSF or M-CSF differ in their ability to produce IL-12 and to induce IFN-γ production after stimulation with Trypanosoma cruzi antigens

• Published in: Immunology letters 2001-05, Vol.77 (1), p.31-38
• Main Authors: Tadokoro, Carlos Eduardo, de Almeida Abrahamsohn, Ises
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Protozoan - immunology; Bone Marrow Cells - cytology; Bone Marrow Cells - drug effects; Bone Marrow Cells - immunology; Bone Marrow Cells - parasitology; Cell Division; Cells, Cultured; Chagas Disease - prevention & control; Chagas’ disease; Cytokines; Female; g-Interferon; GM-CSF; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor - immunology; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor - pharmacology; Interferon-gamma - biosynthesis; Interleukin-12 - biosynthesis; Lymph Nodes; M-CSF; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor - immunology; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor - pharmacology; Macrophages - cytology; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - immunology; Macrophages - parasitology; Macrophages populations; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - biosynthesis; Staphylococcus aureus; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma cruzi - growth & development; Trypanosoma cruzi - immunology; Vaccination
• ISSN: 0165-2478; 1879-0542
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-2478(01)00197-3

Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas’ disease in man. Control of parasitism at the beginning of experimental infection depends on cytokine-activated macrophages that synthesize nitric oxide (NO). We investigated macrophage populations derived in the presence of M-CSF (M-MØ) or GM-CSF (GM-MØ) regarding their ability to control intracellular parasitism by T. cruzi and to synthesize IL-12 and NO. Both macrophage populations supported intracellular multiplication of the parasite; when activated by IFN-γ, GM-MØ exerted better control of parasitism. Stimulation of GM-MØ with T. cruzi or Staphylococcus aureus resulted in IL-12 production and higher levels of NO synthesis in comparison with stimulated M-MØ. Mice immunized with parasite-Ag-pulsed GM-MØ but not with pulsed M-MØ had increased IFN-γ and IL-2 production in lymph nodes. However, when immunization was followed by infection with live parasites, transient elevation of IFN-γ production was observed in both GM-MØ- and M-MØ-immunized mice, without reduction of blood parasite levels.