Efecto de gangliosidos in vitro sobre linfocitos de pacientes chagasicos estimulados con mitogenos o con antigenos de corazón o cerebro / Gangliosides in vitro effects on lymphocytes from patients with chronic Chagas disease stimulated with mitogens or heart or brain antigens

RESUMEN

Se estudió in vitro el efecto de gangliósidos sobre las respuestas de linfocitos de pacientes chagásicos estimulados con mitógenos o con antígenos de corazón y cerebro. La razón para efectuar este estudio fueron las evidencias que indican un rol de los linfocitos T en la producción de daños de la cardiopatía chagásica, y datos que indican que los gangliósidos pueden tener actividad sobre esas células. Además, en trabajos previos, hallamos que los linfocitos de chagásicos responden con transformación blástica (TB). Material y Métodos: se efectuaron cultivos de leucocitos de 14 pacientes chagásicos. A los cuales se adicionaron gangliósidos y en esas condiciones, se estimularon con mitógenos, o bien con antígenos de corazón humano o cerebro murino, respectivamente. Resultados: se observó inhibición parcial de la transformación blástica Inducida por mitógenos, y también hubo Inhibición parcial de la TB inducible por los antígenos de corazón o de cerebro en los linfocitos de chagásicos, siendo significativas las diferencias con respecto a los controles (p< 0.001). Conclusiones: se considera de Interés ese efecto inhibidor de gangliósidos sobre las actividades de los linfocitos de chagásicos estudiadas en estos experimentos, por ser directamente vinculables a factores de patogenia chagásica, que podrían ser Inmunomodulados.

ABSTRACT

In human Chagas'disease previous work has shown the occurrence of a T-lymphocyte CD4-positive population (a high producer of PAS-positive glycoproteins) with evidence suggesting a role in the formation of damages to the myocardium and neural structures in chagasic heart disease (ChHD). Other workers have taken such facts into consideration and have employed gangliosides (biological substances with neurotrophic and immunomodulatory properties) in chagasics with chronic cardiomyopathy and disautonomic signs, obtaining an Improvement in functional signs and a decrease in the number of PAS+ lymphocytes. In the present work we have studied the effect of mixed gangliosides (Cronassial on cell cultures of total leukocytes, or on mononuclear cells prepared through Ficoll-Hypaque. Blood was obtained from 14 patients with ChHD. Experiments were undertaken to assess the effect of policlonal mitogens Phytohaemagglutinin (Phy) and Concanavalin A (Con A) on blastic transformation, estimated by cell size and cytologic study. In addition, the production of PAS+ substances by the lymphocytes and blast were assessed. Gangliosides were added at final concentrations of 100 mg/ml or 200 mg/ ml. Cell viability was assessed by means of the Trypan blue test. With respect to blastic transformation, results showed a significant decrease in the cultures that received gangliosides 24 hours before mltogen administration, as compared with controls (p<0.001) (both for Phy and Con A). On the other hand, the production of lymphocytic PAS+ substances decreased in the cultures of chagasics in which gangliosides were added. Some of these results confirmed previous findings on the matter. The facts suggest that gangliosides can modulate some lymphocytic activities in chagasics.