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* Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels, Belgium VIB, Brussels, Belgium;
Institute Pasteur, Department of Mycobacterial Immunology, Brussels, Belgium; and
Unit of Entomology, Prins Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
The GPI-anchored trypanosome variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) triggers macrophages to produce TNF, involved in trypanosomiasis-associated inflammation and the clinical manifestation of sleeping sickness. Aiming at inhibiting immunopathology during experimental Trypanosoma brucei infections, a VSG-derived GPI-based treatment approach was developed. To achieve this, mice were exposed to the GPI before an infectious trypanosome challenge. This GPI-based strategy resulted in a significant prolonged survival and a substantial protection against infection-associated weight loss, liver damage, acidosis, and anemia; the latter was shown to be Ab-independent and correlated with reduced macrophage-mediated RBC clearance. In addition, GPI-based treatment resulted in reduced circulating serum levels of the inflammatory cytokines TNF and IL-6, abrogation of infection-induced LPS hypersensitivity, and an increase in circulating IL-10. At the level of trypanosomiasis-associated macrophage activation, the GPI-based treatment resulted in an impaired secretion of TNF by VSG and LPS pulsed macrophages, a reduced expression of the inflammatory cytokine genes TNF, IL-6, and IL-12, and an increased expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine gene IL-10. In addition, this change in cytokine pattern upon GPI-based treatment was associated with the expression of alternatively activated macrophage markers. Finally, the GPI-based treatment also reduced the infection-associated pathology in Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma evansi model systems as well as in tsetse fly challenge experiments, indicating potential field applicability for this intervention strategy.
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1 This work was supported by grants from the Foundation for Scientific Research-Flanders (Grants FWO: 6.0325.95 and 6.0372.03) and the Interuniversity Attraction Pole Program, financed by the Belgian State (IUAP P5/11/39). S.M. is a former Postdoctoral Research Fellow of the Foundation for Scientific Research-Flanders (FWO).
2 Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Benoît Stijlemans, VIB Department of Molecular and Cellular Interactions, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Building E, Level 8, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels, Belgium. E-mail address: bstijlem{at}vub.ac.be
3 Abbreviations used in this paper: VSG, variant surface glycoprotein; DMG, dimeristoylglycerol; GIP, glycosylinositol phosphate; PLC, phospholipase C; sVSG, soluble VSG; mfVSG, membrane form VSG; 8-MG, 8-mercaptoguanosine; p.i., postinfection; caM
/M1, classically activated macrophage; aaM/M2, alternatively activated macrophage; TLCK, N-
-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone; PCMBS, p-chloromercurybenzenesulphonic acid; LAL assay, Limulus amebocyte lysate assay; AdLC, adherent liver cells; AST, aspartate transaminase.
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