Does Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Increase HIV-1 Replication in Human Monocyte Derived Macrophages?
Erin Bufalini Mentor: David Camerini The chemokine receptor CCR5 is one of the main co-receptors used in HIV-1 infection. Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) infection has been shown to increase the expression of CCR5 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We purified human monocyte derived macrophages (MDMs) from normal donor blood, and evaluated the expression of CCR5 on cells treated with heat killed T. cruzi (HKTc) and infected with live T. cruzi. The cells were stained with fluorochrome-conjugated monoclonal antibodies (Mab) specific for CD14, which are highly expressed on MDMs, and CCR5, the chemokine receptor in question. The cells were analyzed by flow cytometry, and the data showed that the expression of CCR5 increased on cells treated with heat killed T. cruzi, along with those infected with live T. cruzi. HIV-1 replication was assayed via RT-PCR specific for p24, and the replication rate of HIV-1 was found to increase in cells treated and infected with T. cruzi. This positi
