{
  "abstract": "Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, remains a major health concern, with effective immune control relying heavily on CD8+ T cells. However, the metabolic factors that regulate CD8+ T cell function during infection are not well understood. Acute T. cruzi infection induced metabolic remodeling in parasite-specific and effector CD8+ T cells, characterized by increased reliance on glycolysis, altered mitochondrial homeostasis, oxidative stress, and increased CD38 expression. Nicotinamide riboside (NR), an NAD+ precursor, improved mitochondrial function, reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) and CD38 expression, decreased apoptosis, and enhanced CD8+ T cell effector responses in vitro and in infected mice. In vivo, NR treatment increased intracellular NAD+ levels in CD8+ T cells and improved parasite control during acute infection, reducing parasitemia and skeletal muscle parasite burden. Furthermore, transient NR supplementation was associated with persistent metabolic and functional changes in memory CD8+ T cells during chronic infection. These findings identify NAD+ metabolism as a modulator of CD8+ T cell metabolic fitness during T. cruzi infection and support its further investigation as a host-directed strategy to enhance parasite control.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Universidad Nacional de Cordoba Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 12,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "F. Hellriegel"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Fontanari"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. E. Baigorri"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. G. Theumer"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. M. S. Gimenez"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Herrera"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. Mezzano"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. C. Motran"
    },
    {
      "name": "F. M. Cerban"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. Acosta Rodriguez"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. Berod"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "C. C. Stempin"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b19070mscx2c7.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.29.755262",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.29.755262v1.full",
  "id": "b19070mscx2c7",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.29.755262v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "immunology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2713|Trypanosoma species research and implications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7219742346",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.29.755262v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-29",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b19070mscx2c7.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:25:58Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.29.755262",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.29.755262v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:immunology",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "NAD+ modulation by nicotinamide riboside enhances CD8+ T-cell metabolic fitness and effector function during Trypanosoma cruzi infection and improves parasite control",
  "title_text": "NAD+ modulation by nicotinamide riboside enhances CD8+ T-cell metabolic fitness and effector function during Trypanosoma cruzi infection and improves parasite control",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:25:58Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b19070mscx2c7",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}