Inducible suicide vector systems for Trypanosoma cruzi

Developments in the management of Chagas cardiomyopathy

“…[79] Pertinent to the theme of this review, it is important to note that many of the studies discussed highlight the importance of a preventive or therapeutic vaccine to control T. cruzi infection by at least decreasing parasite burden, cardiac tissue inflammation and damage or increasing survival if not providing sterile immunity. This has recently been underscored in papers by Ma et al [80] and Pereira et al [81]. …”

Strategy for the Development of Vaccines Against Chagas Disease

“…T. cruzi lines with Alpha-toxin, Cecropin A and GFP under the control of DDD with a Hem Agglutinin tag (HA) were developed. Interestingly, amastigotes bearing GFP-DDDHA, Alpha-toxin-DDDHA, Cecropin A-DDDHA and DDDHA all resulted in inducible cell death with these fusions, indicating that DDDHA protein is also detrimental to amastigotes [75]. These strains were found to be attenuated in mouse experiments and infection of mice with these strains provided significant protection against lethal infection with wild type strains.…”

Contagion 2.0

“…But as expected from any highly complex, multi-leveled system, it is not entirely predictable. The work of Yanfen Ma and colleagues in this issue prove how unforeseeable the genetic manipulation of the pathogen can be, where the simple insertion of a transgene produces an attenuated strain even in the absence of triggering the intended suicide mechanism [1]. Vaccination started long before the molecular details behind infection, contagion and immunity were elucidated, and vaccine production has partially stayed a carefully supervised empirical science.…”