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Abstract
In natural infection, the survival of Trypanosoma cruzi, despite the complex immune response elicited including several humoral and cellular components of innate and acquired immunity, suggests that the immune system’s natural responses are inherently inadequate. Consequently, it is of paramount importance to find alternatives to direct the immune system before infection, and redirect it after infection, to obtain a prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine. Herein, we review the recent advances in vaccine research and the development of the major antigen candidates, including cruzipain, trans-sialidase, amastigote surface protein, paraflagellar rod protein, among others. In the last 5 years, experimental works have been conducted to analyze DNA delivery systems, including viruses and bacteria, as well as immunomodulators such as CpG–oligodeoxynucleotide, macrophage-activating lipopeptide from Mycoplasma fermentans, glycolipid α-galactosylceramide, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, IL-12 and other cytokines and chemokines. The review also covers articles that shed light on some mechanisms of innate and adaptive immunity against T. cruzi, which improved our knowledge and provided potentially useful tools to fight infection. A better understanding of the protective immune responses that can effectively arrest T. cruzi survival in the mammalian host is critical for the development of vaccines against Chagas disease.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
Financial support was received from Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); University of Buenos Aires (B027) and Agencia Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas: PICT 608 (Emilio Luis Malchiodi) and PICT 1701 (Fernanda María Frank). Emilio Luis Malchiodi is also supported by the Fogarty International Center (FIRCA: 5R03TW007972-02). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.