Análise imuno-fenotípica de animais nod: estudo da proteção ao diabetes tipo I mediada pelo T. cruzi e da indução pela ciclofosfamida / Immuno-phenotypic analysis of animals nod: study of type I diabetes protection mediated by T. cruzi infection and induction by cyclophosphamide

Os animais NOD representam o principal modelo experimental de estudo do diabetes autoimune. Apesar do progressivo número de estudos realizados, muitos aspectos imunes da promoção e regulação desta doença continuam obscuros. Utilizando o modelo (pela primeira vez aqui descrito) de proteção induzida pelo T. cruzi, bem como o modelo de aceleração pela ciclofosfamida, fizemos um estudo imuno-fenotípico em animais NOD com o objetivo de elucidar mecanismos imunes responsáveis pela regulação do diabetes tipo I. Demonstramos que a infecção de camundongos NOD com o T. cruzi os protege do desenvolvimento do diabetes. Estes animais desenvolvem uma resposta ao parasita caracterizada por uma pobre expansão de células T CD8 efetoras, bem como uma menor migração destas para os sítios parasitários. Estudo do perfil de citocinas mostraram ainda uma reduzida produção inicial de IFN no baço, mas elevada produção tardia nos tecidos inflamados, comparado a animais BALB/c. Estes dados, associados a uma maior produção inicial de IL-10 por esplenócitos, justificam a maior susceptibilidade à infecção observada nos animais NOD. O estudo de populações celulares com atividade regulatória mostrou que há aumento de Treg no início da infecção. Contudo a proteção ao diabetes desencadeada pelo T. cruzi não se correlaciona ao número de células Treg, pois há uma redução destas ao longo da infecção. Este fato, associado à observação de que a ciclofosfamida é incapaz de induzir diabetes nos animais infectados, apontaram para um papel limitado destas células na proteção ao diabetes pelo T. cruzi. Entretanto, houve aumento de células Gr1+, e a depleção destas reverte a proteção ao diabetes causada pela infecção, além de induzir a expansão de células T CD8+ efetoras e sua produção de IFN. Verificamos ainda, que níveis aumentados da expressão de PD-L1 relacionaram-se com a proteção ao diabetes proporcionado pelo T. cruzi, enquanto níveis reduzidos se relacionaram ao seu desenvolvimento espontâneo. Contudo, o tratamento com ciclofosfamida não reduz a expressão de PD-L1 em linfócitos, mas induz rapidamente o diabetes em animais NOD não infectados e leva a uma drástica diminuição de células Tregs CD25+ esplênicas. Os resultados, aqui tomados em conjunto, apontam para um complexo mecanismo de controle do diabetes, que envolve diferentes populações celulares que atuam de maneira variada com o modelo estudado.

Long-term administration of IgG2a anti-NK1.1 monoclonal antibody ameliorates lupus-like disease in NZB/W mice in spite of an early worsening induced by an IgG2a-dependent BAFF/BLyS production.

The role of natural killer (NK) T cells in the development of lupus-like disease in mice is still controversial. We treated NZB/W mice with anti-NK1.1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and our results revealed that administration of either an irrelevant immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) mAb or an IgG2a anti-NK1.1 mAb increased the production of anti-dsDNA antibodies in young NZB/W mice. However, the continuous administration of an anti-NK1.1 mAb protected aged NZB/W mice from glomerular injury, leading to prolonged survival and stabilization of the proteinuria. Conversely, the administration of the control IgG2a mAb led to an aggravation of the lupus-like disease. Augmented titres of anti-dsDNA in NZB/W mice, upon IgG2a administration, correlated with the production of BAFF/BLyS by dendritic, B and T cells. Treatment with an anti-NK1.1 mAb reduced the levels of interleukin-16, produced by T cells, in spleen cell culture supernatants from aged NZB/W. Adoptive transfer of NK T cells from aged to young NZB/W accelerated the production of anti-dsDNA in recipient NZB/W mice, suggesting that NK T cells from aged NZB/W are endowed with a B-cell helper activity. In vitro studies, using purified NK T cells from aged NZB/W, showed that these cells provided helper B-cell activity for the production of anti-dsDNA. We concluded that NK T cells are involved in the progression of lupus-like disease in mature NZB/W mice and that immunoglobulin of the IgG2a isotype has an enhancing effect on antibody synthesis due to the induction of BAFF/BLyS, and therefore have a deleterious effect in the NZB/W mouse physiology.

Importance of TNF-alpha in the course of acute infection with Trypanosoma cruzi: influence of its inhibition by pentoxifylline treatment.

Infection of C3H/He mice with the Peruvian strain of Trypanosoma cruzi (Biodeme type I, Z2b), a macrophagotropic strain, determined severe parasitism of macrophages, necrosis of the spleen, and high host mortality. In the present study, pentoxifylline (PTX), an inhibitor of TNF-alpha was investigated on its action upon splenic necrosis, parasitemia and host survival. Immunohistochemical data suggested the importance of this cytokine in parasite destruction and decreasing of parasitemia, although paradoxically contributing to the high mortality of infected mice. Necrotic lesions involving several organs, specially the heart, in acute Chagas disease, are important aggravating factors, increasing cardiac morbidity. Advantage of inhibiting TNF-alpha action was herein investigated. Infected mice were divided into two groups: untreated (n = 24), and PTX treated mice (n = 25). PTX was administered in two daily doses of 30 mg/kg/bw, by intraperitoneal route. Normal controls either treated with PTX or saline were also included. Histopathology of the spleen and in situ immunolabeling of TNF-alpha, using anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody, were performed. Necrotic areas were evaluated by morphometry. Mice treated with PTX showed a significant decrease of necrotic areas and diminution of TNF-alpha expression in spleen tissue, suggesting that PTX treatment could control TNF-alpha effects, and thus be used as an adjuvant in the treatment of acute Chagas' disease.

Importance of TNF-alpha in the course of acute infection with Trypanosoma cruzi: influence of its inhibition by pentoxifylline treatment

Infection of C3H/He mice with the Peruvian strain of Trypanosoma cruzi (Biodeme type I, Z2b), a macrophagotropic strain, determined severe parasitism of macrophages, necrosis of the spleen, and high host mortality. In the present study, pentoxifylline (PTX), an inhibitor of TNF-alpha was investigated on its action upon splenic necrosis, parasitemia and host survival. Immunohistochemical data suggested the importance of this cytokine in parasite destruction and decreasing of parasitemia, although paradoxically contributing to the high mortality of infected mice. Necrotic lesions involving several organs, specially the heart, in acute Chagas disease, are important aggravating factors, increasing cardiac morbidity. Advantage of inhibiting TNF-alpha action was herein investigated. Infected mice were divided into two groups: untreated (n = 24), and PTX treated mice (n = 25). PTX was administered in two daily doses of 30 mg/kg/bw, by intraperitoneal route. Normal controls either treated with PTX or saline were also included. Histopathology of the spleen and in situ immunolabeling of TNF-alpha, using anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody, were performed. Necrotic areas were evaluated by morphometry. Mice treated with PTX showed a significant decrease of necrotic areas and diminution of TNF-alpha expression in spleen tissue, suggesting that PTX treatment could control TNF-alpha effects, and thus be used as an adjuvant in the treatment of acute Chagas' disease.

Trypanosoma cruzi: clones isolated from the Colombian strain, reproduce the parental strain characteristics, with ubiquitous histotropism.

Clonal histotropism and biological characters of five clones isolated during the early acute phase of the infection of Swiss mice with the Colombian strain of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi I), Biodeme Type III, were investigated. Clones were isolated from mice at the 10th and the 30th day of infection with the Colombian strain. Isolation was performed by micromanipulation and injection of one trypomatigote blood form into newborn mice, followed by passages into suckling mice for obtaining the inocula for the experimental groups. Mice infected with parental strain were also studied. All the clones have shown the basic characteristics of Biodeme Type III, with the same patterns of parasitemia, tissue tropism, morphological characters and isoenzymic profiles, such as the parental strain. Histotropism was most intense to myocardium and skeletal muscles, with intense lesions found in the advanced phase (20th to 30th day of infection). Both parental strain and the clones were seen to parasitize several organs and tissues; amastigote nests were identified in the cytoplasm of macrophages, adipose cells, smooth muscle of intestinal wall and Auerbach's neuronal plexus. The findings of the present study confirm the homology of the clones isolated from the Colombian strain, with predominance of a 'principal clone' and an ubiquitous distribution of parasites belonging to a same clone.

Avaliação da resposta imune em animais cronicamente infectados pelo Trypanosoma cruzi: estudo de células regulatórias após administração de ciclofosfamida / Evaluation of immune response in chronically infected with trypanosoma cruzi: study of regulatory cells in chronic animals after cyclophosphamide administration

Durante a infecção pelo Trypanosoma cruzi, várias subpopulações de linfócitos T estão envolvidos na resposta inflamatória encontrado em muitos tecidos. Estudos prévios de nosso laboratório tem mostrado que o tratamento de camundongos com baixas doses de Ciclofosfamida (CY) pode interferir nos mecanismos imunomodulatórios durante pelo T. cruzi. O padrão de ativação de linfócitos T, a presença de células T regulatórias naturais (nTregs) e de citocinas produzidas em camundongos C57BI/6 e Balb/c tratados com CY foram analisados durante a infecção. (...) Nestes animais, a análise histopatológica mostrou uam tendência no aumento da inflamação no miocárdio e músculo esquelético após 1-2 semanas do término do tratamento. Surpreendetemente, a IL-17 mostrou-se aumentada neste período, diminuindo passados quatro meses. Conclusões: após o tratamento com CY, o aumento do número de nTrgs no baço e nos infiltrados do músculo esquelético correlacionam-se ao aumento da produção de IL-10 e à diminuição da produção de IFNy por células esplênicas, além de uma diminuição nas populações de células efetoras/memória no baço. Estas alterações podem estar ocorrendo como um mecanismos regulatório para minimizar a inflamação e o dano tecidual, na cinética aqui observada após o tratamento