Lbd. Hinds et al., Modulation of B-lymphocyte and NK cell activities by glycoinositolphospolipid purified from Trypanosoma cruzi, INFEC IMMUN, 67(11), 1999, pp. 6177-6180
Glycoinositolphospholipids (GIPLs) are some of the major glycolipids of the
Trypanosoma cruzi surface that were previously shown to activate B cells.
In the present study, we investigated whether (i) T. cruzi GIPLs could indu
ce immunoglobulin secretion from B cells in the absence of T cells and NK c
ells and whether (ii) NK cells are also stimulated by the GIPLs. B cells pu
rified from mice deficient in both T and NK cells (CD3 epsilon transgenic m
ice) secreted immunoglobulin in response to the GIPL. This response was inc
reased by coculture with a murine NK cell line. The T. cruzi GIPL also incr
eased the NK cell (interleukin-2 induced) proliferative response. Our data
indicate that the T. cruzi GIPL has a direct stimulatory effect on NK cells
and induces immunoglobulin secretion in the absence of T lymphocytes and N
K cells. These findings suggest that this T. cruzi-derived molecule may be
one of the stimulators that lead to NK cell activation during T. cruzi infe
ction.