Is TNF alpha involved in early susceptibility of Trypanosoma cruzi-infected C3H/He mice?

Early wasting and subsequent mortality may occur in mice of some inbred strains following infection with Trypanosoma cruzi. It was hypothesized that TNF alpha/cachectin might be involved in this process. Thus, sera collected from mice of strains differing in their susceptibility or resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi infection were checked for the presence and level of TNF alpha, a cytokine able to exert acute toxic effects. C3H/HeJ or C3H/HePas (susceptible), BALB/c (intermediate) and C57BL/6 (resistant) mice were infected with the CL or Colombian strain of Trypanosoma cruzi, and TNF activity was measured in the sera during the acute phase of the infection. Only serum collected from infected C3H/He mice contained TNF activity. However, TNF activity could be measured in serum of all strains, following LPS infection, indicating that the infection was able to prime macrophages of infected mice to secrete TNF alpha. The TNF alpha/cachectin release in the sera of C3H mice may play a role in the early wasting and death of these mice after Trypanosoma cruzi infection.