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	2002 Fellow			Elina Zuņiga, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Division of Biological Sciences UC, San Diego Bonner Hall 3106 9500 Gilman Drive #0322 La Jolla, CA 92093-0322 Tel: (858) 534-5660 Fax: (858) 534-0053 Email: eizuniga@ucsd.edu

Country: ARGENTINA

Field: Virology and Immunology

Research Interest: T lymphocytes have been reported to play a major role in regulating other cell populations within the immune system, while B cell functions have traditionally been associated to antibodies production. We showed that B lymphocytes also display immune-modulatory properties during parasitic infections, influencing T cells and macrophages and more strikingly, controlling themselves. Thus, during Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) infection- a chronic and transmissible disease also called Chagas' disease- highly activated B cells increase the expression of galectin-1, a beta-galactoside-binding protein. This lectin modulates both T cells and infected macrophages citokyne secretion and survival, and displays a biphasic influence on macrophages microbicidal activity. Moreover, we proved that B cell apoptosis is an ongoing process in vivo during T. cruzi infection, that it is B cell sufficient, and mediated by the Fas/FasL pathway. Interestingly, our data indicate that FasL-mediated B cell fratricide selectively eliminates IgG+ activated B cell reactive against parasite antigens. Currently we are conducting experiments using bone marrow from normal and T cruzi infected mice in order to evaluate whether B lymphocytes are targets and/or effectors of central immune-regulatory mechanisms triggered in the context of this infectious process.