Cytokines in innate and acquired immunity to Trypanosoma cruzi infection

resistance to trypanosoma cruzi infections is critically dependent on cytokine-mediated activation of cell-mediated immune effector mechanisms. this review focuses on the role of il-10, tnf-a, ifn-g and il-12 in controlling t. cruzi replication by the innate and specific immune systems of the vertebrate host. a study performed on mice with disrupted recombinase-activating genes (rag/ko), which lack t and b lymphocytes, revealed the importance of il-12, ifn-g and tnf-a in the resistance against t. cruzi mediated by the innate immune system. in addition, data from experiments using il-10 ko, rag/ko and double rag/il-10 ko mice indicating an in vivo regulatory role of il-10 in innate and t. cruzi-specific immunity are discussed