Q586B2 is a Crucial Virulence Factor During the Early Stages of Trypanosoma Brucei Infection That is Conserved Amongst Trypanosomatids

Human African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei , is characterized by the manipulation of the host’s immune response to ensure parasite invasion and persistence. Uncovering key molecules that support parasite establishment is a prerequisite to interfere with this process. We identified Q586B2 as a T. brucei protein that induces IL-10 in myeloid cells, which promotes parasite infection invasiveness. Q586B2 is expressed during all T. brucei life stages and is conserved in all Trypanosomatidae. Deleting the Q586B2-encoding Tb927.6.4140 gene in T. brucei results in a decreased peak parasitemia and prolonged survival, without affecting parasite fitness in vitro, yet promoting short stumpy differentiation in vivo. Accordingly, neutralization of Q586B2 with newly generated nanobodies could hamper myeloid-derived IL-10 production and reduce parasitemia. In addition, immunization with Q586B2 delays mortality upon a challenge with various trypanosomes, including Trypanosoma cruzi . Collectively, we uncovered a conserved protein playing an important regulatory role in Trypanosomatid infection establishment.