Severity of chronic experimental Chagas' heart disease parallels tumour necrosis factor and nitric oxide levels in the serum: models of mild and severe disease
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
;
109(3): 289-298, 06/2014. tab, graf
Artigo
em Inglês
| LILACS
| ID: lil-711734
ABSTRACT
Heart tissue inflammation, progressive fibrosis and electrocardiographic alterations occur in approximately 30% of patients infected by Trypanosoma cruzi, 10-30 years after infection. Further, plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and nitric oxide (NO) are associated with the degree of heart dysfunction in chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC). Thus, our aim was to establish experimental models that mimic a range of parasitological, pathological and cardiac alterations described in patients with chronic Chagas’ heart disease and evaluate whether heart disease severity was associated with increased TNF and NO levels in the serum. Our results show that C3H/He mice chronically infected with the Colombian T. cruzi strain have more severe cardiac parasitism and inflammation than C57BL/6 mice. In addition, connexin 43 disorganisation and fibronectin deposition in the heart tissue, increased levels of creatine kinase cardiac MB isoenzyme activity in the serum and more severe electrical abnormalities were observed in T. cruzi-infected C3H/He mice compared to C57BL/6 mice. Therefore, T. cruzi-infected C3H/He and C57BL/6 mice represent severe and mild models of CCC, respectively. Moreover, the CCC severity paralleled the TNF and NO levels in the serum. Therefore, these models are appropriate for studying the pathophysiology and biomarkers of CCC progression, as well as for testing therapeutic agents for patients with Chagas’ heart disease.
Texto completo:
DisponíveL
Índice:
LILACS (Américas)
Assunto principal:
Cardiomiopatia Chagásica
/
Fatores de Necrose Tumoral
/
Óxido Nítrico
Tipo de estudo:
Estudo prognóstico
Limite:
Animais
Idioma:
Inglês
Revista:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Assunto da revista:
Medicina Tropical
/
Parasitologia
Ano de publicação:
2014
Tipo de documento:
Artigo
/
Documento de projeto
País de afiliação:
Brasil
Instituição/País de afiliação:
Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz/BR
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