Human infection with Trypanosoma cruzi induces antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses

Experimental models of Chagas ’ disease, an infection caused by the intracellular protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, have demonstrated the crucial immunoprotective role played by CD8 � T lymphocytes. These cells dominate inflammatory foci in parasitized tissues and their elimination from mice leads to uncontrolled parasite replication and subsequent death of the infected host. A trypomastigote surface antigen, TSA-1, and two amastigote surface molecules, ASP-1 and ASP-2, were recently identified as targets of CD8 � cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in T. cruzi–infected mice. Until now, however, there was no evidence for the development of parasite-specific CTL in T. cruzi–infected humans. In this study, human CTL specific for TSA-1–, ASP-1–, and ASP-2–derived peptides were detected in th