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Trypanosoma cruzi activates cord blood myeloid dendritic cells independently of cell infection

We recently showed that T. cruzi parasites enhance expression of co-stimulatory surface molecules on cord blood myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs). This study aims to gain insight into the role of live parasites and intracellular infection in mDC activation using CSFE-labelled parasites. First, we observed that only a low proportion of mDCs was infected by T. cruzi after overnight culture of whole blood samples and trypomastigotes, as compared with monocytes and granulocytes. Cord blood mDCs were also less infected than their adult counterpart. Second, expression levels of HLA-DR and co-stimulatory molecules CD80, CD83 and CD86 were similar on infected and uninfected mDCs. Parasite lysate also triggered mDCs phenotypic maturation of both cord and adult blood cells, though in a lower extent than live parasites. These results strongly support a central role for extracellular trypomastigotes in activation of mDCs when parasites are incubated with whole blood cells. However, viability of trypomastigotes was not absolutely required for mDC activation.