Cytotoxic CD4⁺ T cells driven by T-cell intrinsic IL-18R/MyD88 signaling predominantly infiltrate Trypanosoma cruzi-infected hearts.

ABSTRACT: Increasing attention has been directed to cytotoxic CD4⁺ T cells (CD4CTLs) in different pathologies, both in humans and mice. The impact of CD4CTLs in immunity and the mechanisms controlling their generation, however, remain poorly understood. Here, we show that CD4CTLs abundantly differentiate during mouse infection with the intracellular parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. CD4CTLs display parallel kinetics to Th1 cells in the spleen, mediate specific cytotoxicity against cells presenting pathogen-derived antigens and express immunoregulatory and/or exhaustion markers. We demonstrate that CD4CTL absolute numbers and activity are severely reduced in both Myd88^-/- and Il18ra^-/- mice. Of note, the infection of mixed-bone marrow chimeras revealed

SUBMITTER: Barbosa CD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9236613 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature