Oral Exposure to Phytomonas serpens Attenuates Thrombocytopenia and Leukopenia during Acute Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi

Abstract

Mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, rapidly develop anemia and thrombocytopenia. These effects are partially promoted by the parasite trans-sialidase (TS), which is shed in the blood and depletes sialic acid from the platelets, inducing accelerated platelet clearance and causing thrombocytopenia during the acute phase of disease. Here, we demonstrate that oral immunization of C57BL/6 mice with Phytomonas serpens, a phytoflagellate parasite that shares common antigens with T. cruzi but has no TS activity, reduces parasite burden and prevents thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. Immunization also reduces platelet loss after intraperitoneal injection of TS. In addition, passive transfer of immune sera raised in mice against P. serpens prevented platelet clearance. Thus, oral exposure to P. serpens attenuates the progression of thrombocytopenia induced by TS from T. cruzi. These findings are not only important for the understanding of the pathogenesis of T. cruzi infection but also for developing novel approaches of intervention in Chagas disease.

Experimental Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Induces Pain in Mice Dependent on Early Spinal Cord Glial Cells and NFκB Activation and Cytokine Production

“…In the present experimental condition, the parasitemia ends by the 28th day postinfection (p.i.) as demonstrated by previous studies by our group ( 3 ). During the acute phase of CD, high numbers of parasites are found in the bloodstream and tissues, and after this period, the parasite and the host reach an immunological balance and a chronic phase settles in.…”

Phytomonas: Trypanosomatids Adapted to Plant Environments

“…Intriguingly, immunogenic similarities between P. serpens and T. cruzi are enough that oral exposure to P. serpens has been observed to attenuate the symptoms of Chagas disease in C57BL/6 mice [ 82 ]. It is also interesting to note that while naturally occurring Phytomonas infections in mammals have not been described, inoculation of mice with infected latex has been reported to produce sustained infections [ 83 ].…”

Proteome analysis of Phytomonas serpens, a phytoparasite of medical interest

“…serpens –a phytoparasite harmless to humans–has been attracting medical interest due its immunological cross-reactivity with T . cruzi , the etiological agent of Chagas disease [ 24 , 46 , 47 ]. The immunological cross-reactivity between P .…”

“…Moreover, the protective immunity provided by oral immunization is associated with enhanced NO production during the acute phase of T . cruzi infection [ 23 ] Also, immunization is able to attenuate thrombocytopenia and leukopenia during acute infection in mice [ 47 ]. In contrast, antibodies present in the sera of humans affected by Chagas disease react with 22 different P .…”