Description
An efficient innate immune recognition of the intracellular parasite T. cruzi is crucial for host protection against development of Chagas disease, which often leads to multiple organ damage, particularly the heart leading to cardiomyopathy. Mechanisms modulated by MyD88 have been shown to be necessary for resistance against T, cruzi infection. Recently, Nod-like receptors have been shown to play an important role as innate immune sensors, particularly as they relate to inflammasome function, caspase activation, and inflammatory cytokine production. In this study, we aimed to investigate the participation of innate immune responses in general, and inflammasomes in particular, in heart inflammation and cardiac damage upon infection with the T. cruzi parasite.