Calderón, JosselaMaganto-Garcia, ElenaPunzón, CarmenCarrión, JavierTerhorst, CoxFresno, Manuel2013-03-222012Calderón, Jossela, Elena Maganto-Garcia, Carmen Punzón, Javier Carrión, Cox Terhorst, and Manuel Fresno. 2012. The receptor Slamf1 on the surface of myeloid lineage cells controls susceptibility to infection by Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Pathogens 8(7): e1002799.1553-7366http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:10461889Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite responsible for Chagas' disease, causes severe myocarditis often resulting in death. Here, we report that Slamf1−/− mice, which lack the hematopoietic cell surface receptor Slamf1, are completely protected from an acute lethal parasite challenge. Cardiac damage was reduced in Slamf1−/− mice compared to wild type mice, infected with the same doses of parasites, as a result of a decrease of the number of parasites in the heart even the parasitemia was only marginally less. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments reveal that Slamf1-defIcient myeloid cells are impaired in their ability to replicate the parasite and show altered production of cytokines. Importantly, IFN-γ production in the heart of Slamf1 deficient mice was much lower than in the heart of wt mice even though the number of infiltrating dendritic cells, macrophages, CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes were comparable. Administration of an anti-Slamf1 monoclonal antibody also reduced the number of parasites and IFN-γ in the heart. These observations not only explain the reduced susceptibility to in vivo infection by the parasite, but they also suggest human Slamf1 as a potential target for therapeutic target against T. cruzi infection.en-USBiologyImmunologyImmunityImmune DefenseImmunity to InfectionsInnate ImmunityMicrobiologyProtozoologyParastic ProtozoansTrypanosomaHost-Pathogen InteractionMedicineInfectious DiseasesNeglected Tropical DiseasesChagas DiseaseJournal Article2013-03-2210.1371/journal.ppat.1002799