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Khan AA, Langston HC, Walsh L, Roscoe R, Jayawardhana S, Francisco AF, Taylor MC, McCann CJ, Kelly JM, Lewis MD. Enteric nervous system regeneration and functional cure of experimental digestive Chagas disease with trypanocidal chemotherapy. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4400. [PMID: 38782898 PMCID: PMC11116530 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48749-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Digestive Chagas disease (DCD) is an enteric neuropathy caused by Trypanosoma cruzi infection. There is a lack of evidence on the mechanism of pathogenesis and rationales for treatment. We used a female C3H/HeN mouse model that recapitulates key clinical manifestations to study how infection dynamics shape DCD pathology and the impact of treatment with the front-line, anti-parasitic drug benznidazole. Curative treatment 6 weeks post-infection resulted in sustained recovery of gastrointestinal transit function, whereas treatment failure led to infection relapse and gradual return of DCD symptoms. Neuro/immune gene expression patterns shifted from chronic inflammation to a tissue repair profile after cure, accompanied by increased cellular proliferation, glial cell marker expression and recovery of neuronal density in the myenteric plexus. Delaying treatment until 24 weeks post-infection led to partial reversal of DCD, suggesting the accumulation of permanent tissue damage over the course of chronic infection. Our study shows that murine DCD pathogenesis is sustained by chronic T. cruzi infection and is not an inevitable consequence of acute stage denervation. The risk of irreversible enteric neuromuscular tissue damage and dysfunction developing highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment. These findings support the concept of treating asymptomatic, T. cruzi-infected individuals with benznidazole to prevent DCD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archie A Khan
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Harry C Langston
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Louis Walsh
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Roscoe
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Shiromani Jayawardhana
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Amanda Fortes Francisco
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Martin C Taylor
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Conor J McCann
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University College London, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - John M Kelly
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Michael D Lewis
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK.
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, CV4 7AJ, Coventry, UK.
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Rossi IV, de Souza DAS, Ramirez MI. The End Justifies the Means: Chagas Disease from a Perspective of the Host- Trypanosoma cruzi Interaction. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:488. [PMID: 38672758 PMCID: PMC11050810 DOI: 10.3390/life14040488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The neglected Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Despite CD dispersion throughout the world, it prevails in tropical areas affecting mainly poor communities, causing devastating health, social and economic consequences. Clinically, CD is marked by a mildly symptomatic acute phase, and a chronic phase characterized by cardiac and/or digestive complications. Current treatment for CD relies on medications with strong side effects and reduced effectiveness. The complex interaction between the parasite and the host outlines the etiology and progression of CD. The unique characteristics and high adaptability of T. cruzi, its mechanisms of persistence, and evasion of the immune system seem to influence the course of the disease. Despite the efforts to uncover the pathology of CD, there are many gaps in understanding how it is established and reaches chronicity. Also, the lack of effective treatments and protective vaccines constitute challenges for public health. Here, we explain the background in which CD is established, from the peculiarities of T. cruzi molecular biology to the development of the host's immune response leading to the pathophysiology of CD. We also discuss the state of the art of treatments for CD and current challenges in basic and applied science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izadora Volpato Rossi
- Graduate Program in Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 81531-980, PR, Brazil;
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Carlos Chagas Institute/Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ-PR), Curitiba 81310-020, PR, Brazil;
| | - Denise Andréa Silva de Souza
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Carlos Chagas Institute/Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ-PR), Curitiba 81310-020, PR, Brazil;
| | - Marcel Ivan Ramirez
- Graduate Program in Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 81531-980, PR, Brazil;
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Carlos Chagas Institute/Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ-PR), Curitiba 81310-020, PR, Brazil;
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3
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Neuroprotective Treatments for Digestive Forms of Chagas Disease in Experimental Models: A Systematic Review. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:9397290. [PMID: 36199427 PMCID: PMC9527410 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9397290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is an anthropozoonosis caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and is characterized as a neglected disease. It is currently endemic in 21 countries on the Latin American continent, including Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay. Unfortunately, there are no optimally effective treatments that can reduce the damage caused in the digestive form of the disease, such as the neuronal destruction of the myenteric plexus of both the esophagus and the colon. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review was to report the possible pharmacological neuroprotective agents that were tested in murine models of the digestive form of Chagas disease. Inclusion criteria are in vivo experimental studies that used different murine models for digestive forms of Chagas disease related to pharmacological interventions with neuroprotective potential, without year and language restriction. On the other hand, the exclusion criteria were studies that did not approach murine models with the digestive form of the disease or did not use neuroprotective treatments, among others. The search in the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and LILACS databases was performed on September 4, 2021. In addition, a manual search was performed using the references of the included articles. The risk of bias assessment of the studies was performed based on the SYRCLE tool guidelines, and the data from the selected articles are presented in this review as a narrative description and in tables. Eight articles were included, 4 of which addressed treatment with acetylsalicylic acid, 3 with cyclophosphamide, and 1 with Lycopodium clavatum 13c. In view of the results of the studies, most of them show neuroprotective activity of the treatments, with the potential to reduce the number of damaged neurons, as well as positive changes in the structure of these cells. However, more studies are needed to understand the mechanisms triggered by each drug, as well as their safety and immunogenicity. Systematic review registration is as follows: PROSPERO database (CRD42022289746).
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Pinto L, Schijman AG, Alonso-Padilla J, Lozano D, Torrico MC, Gamba P, Torrez M, Lozada V, Cartagena K, Sanchez J, Torrico F, Gascon J. Molecular detection and parasite load of Trypanosoma cruzi in digestive tract tissue of Chagas disease patients affected by megacolon. Acta Trop 2022; 235:106632. [PMID: 35932843 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite in the Americas affects ∼ 7 million people, 30% with cardiac tissue damage and 10-15% with digestive disorders. In this study, we have developed a protocol to detect the presence of the parasite and estimate its load in resected dysfunctional tissue segments of chronically infected patients with digestive megacolon. We have included samples from 43 individuals, 38/5 with positive/negative serology for Chagas disease and digestive syndromes.. Samples of 1.5 to 2.0 cm were taken from different points of the dysfunctional digestive tract in specialized centres in Cochabamba, Bolivia. T.cruzi cultures were performed by inoculation with NNN-LIT culture medium, and genomic material was obtained from the samples formultiplex qPCR with TaqMan probes targeting satellite nuclear DNA. Cultures failed to isolate T. cruzi but qPCR reached a sensitivity of 42.1% (16/38) with all three spots and in triplicate.. A new quantification methodology using synthetic satellite DNA as quantitation standard revealed parasite loads ranging from 2.2 × 102 to 1.0 × 106 satellite DNA copies/μl. Positive samples from the distal end showed a higher parasite load. The results of the present study strengthen and add further evidence to previous findings in an experimental mouse model of chronic T. cruzi infection, providing a valuable tool to improve scientific knowledge on the relevance of the digestive tract in parasite persistence, and underlines the need of a better understanding of host-pathogen interaction in digestive tissues, considering pathophysiology, disease immunology and response to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alejandro G Schijman
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Chagas Disease, Institute for Research in Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julio Alonso-Padilla
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic - University of Barcelona, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.; CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII)
| | - Daniel Lozano
- CEADES Foundation, Cochabamba, Bolivia.; Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Mary Cruz Torrico
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Pietro Gamba
- Pietro Gamba Foundation Anzaldo, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | | | - Vania Lozada
- Institute of Gastroenterology Bolivian Japanese, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Karina Cartagena
- Institute of Gastroenterology Bolivian Japanese, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Jareth Sanchez
- Hospital "Dr. Manuel Ascencio Villarroel", Punata, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Faustino Torrico
- CEADES Foundation, Cochabamba, Bolivia.; Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Joaquim Gascon
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic - University of Barcelona, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.; CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII)
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Medina-Rincón GJ, Gallo-Bernal S, Jiménez PA, Cruz-Saavedra L, Ramírez JD, Rodríguez MJ, Medina-Mur R, Díaz-Nassif G, Valderrama-Achury MD, Medina HM. Molecular and Clinical Aspects of Chronic Manifestations in Chagas Disease: A State-of-the-Art Review. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10111493. [PMID: 34832648 PMCID: PMC8619182 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10111493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic manifestations of Chagas disease present as disabling and life-threatening conditions affecting mainly the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. Although meaningful research has outlined the different molecular mechanisms underlying Trypanosoma cruzi’s infection and the host-parasite interactions that follow, prompt diagnosis and treatment remain a challenge, particularly in developing countries and also in those where the disease is considered non-endemic. This review intends to present an up-to-date review of the parasite’s life cycle, genetic diversity, virulence factors, and infective mechanisms, as well as the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment options of the main chronic complications of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germán J. Medina-Rincón
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia; (S.G.-B.); (M.D.V.-A.); (H.M.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +57-310-817-2369
| | - Sebastián Gallo-Bernal
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia; (S.G.-B.); (M.D.V.-A.); (H.M.M.)
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Paula A. Jiménez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia; (P.A.J.); (L.C.-S.); (J.D.R.)
| | - Lissa Cruz-Saavedra
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia; (P.A.J.); (L.C.-S.); (J.D.R.)
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia; (P.A.J.); (L.C.-S.); (J.D.R.)
| | - María Juliana Rodríguez
- Division of Cardiology, Fundación Cardioinfantil-Instituto de Cardiología, Bogotá 110131, Colombia; (M.J.R.); (R.M.-M.)
| | - Ramón Medina-Mur
- Division of Cardiology, Fundación Cardioinfantil-Instituto de Cardiología, Bogotá 110131, Colombia; (M.J.R.); (R.M.-M.)
| | - Gustavo Díaz-Nassif
- Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Fundación Cardioinfantil-Instituto de Cardiología, Bogotá 111221, Colombia;
| | | | - Héctor M. Medina
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia; (S.G.-B.); (M.D.V.-A.); (H.M.M.)
- Division of Cardiology, Fundación Cardioinfantil-Instituto de Cardiología, Bogotá 110131, Colombia; (M.J.R.); (R.M.-M.)
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de Souza Marques F, Duarte THC, Xavier VF, Ferraz AT, das Mercês AC, Silva TVC, Mendes LC, da Fonseca Medeiros L, Perin L, Mathias FAS, da Silva Fonseca K, Nogueira-Paiva NC, Carneiro CM, de Abreu Vieira PM. Different infective forms trigger distinct lesions in the colon during experimental Chagas disease. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3475-3486. [PMID: 34476583 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07236-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
With the control of vectorial transmission of Chagas disease caused by metacyclic trypomastigotes (MT) in endemic countries, other pathways of infection have become important. The infection caused by blood trypomastigotes (BT) is relevant in places where the blood transfusion and organ transplantation are poorly controlled. This study aimed to evaluate immunopathogenic parameters in the colon during the acute and chronic phases of experimental infection in Swiss mice infected with BT or MT forms of VL-10 strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. We have found that animals infected with MT forms presented lower survival rate, and higher tissue parasitism in the acute phase of the disease, which may be associated with the exacerbated activation of the immune system with the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines even in the chronic phase of infection. Taken together, these results can also be associated to the maintenance of the inflammatory process in chronic phase and an earlier denervation of myenteric plexus in colon. These findings emphasized the importance of the inoculum source and the strain, once different forms of different strains seem to promote distinct diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia de Souza Marques
- Laboratory of Morphopathology, Department of Biological Sciences, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thays Helena Chaves Duarte
- Laboratory of Morphopathology, Department of Biological Sciences, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Viviane Flores Xavier
- Laboratory of Morphopathology, Department of Biological Sciences, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Aline Tonhela Ferraz
- Laboratory of Morphopathology, Department of Biological Sciences, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Aline Coelho das Mercês
- Laboratory of Morphopathology, Department of Biological Sciences, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thaís Vieira Carvalho Silva
- Laboratory of Morphopathology, Department of Biological Sciences, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lívia Carvalho Mendes
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Luciana da Fonseca Medeiros
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Luísa Perin
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernando Augusto Siqueira Mathias
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Kátia da Silva Fonseca
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Nivia Carolina Nogueira-Paiva
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Cláudia Martins Carneiro
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Paula Melo de Abreu Vieira
- Laboratory of Morphopathology, Department of Biological Sciences, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Khan AA, Langston HC, Costa FC, Olmo F, Taylor MC, McCann CJ, Kelly JM, Lewis MD. Local association of Trypanosoma cruzi chronic infection foci and enteric neuropathic lesions at the tissue micro-domain scale. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009864. [PMID: 34424944 PMCID: PMC8412264 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Digestive Chagas disease (DCD) is an enteric neuropathy caused by Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The mechanism of pathogenesis is poorly understood and the lack of a robust, predictive animal model has held back research. We screened a series of mouse models using gastrointestinal tracer assays and in vivo infection imaging systems to discover a subset exhibiting chronic digestive transit dysfunction and significant retention of faeces in both sated and fasted conditions. The colon was a specific site of both tissue parasite persistence, delayed transit and dramatic loss of myenteric neurons as revealed by whole-mount immunofluorescence analysis. DCD mice therefore recapitulated key clinical manifestations of human disease. We also exploited dual reporter transgenic parasites to home in on locations of rare chronic infection foci in the colon by ex vivo bioluminescence imaging and then used fluorescence imaging in tissue microdomains to reveal co-localisation of infection and enteric nervous system lesions. This indicates that long-term T. cruzi-host interactions in the colon drive DCD pathogenesis, suggesting that the efficacy of anti-parasitic chemotherapy against chronic disease progression warrants further pre-clinical investigation. Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Chagas disease has two types, the cardiac form and the digestive form; some patients have symptoms of both. How the parasite causes digestive disease is poorly understood. It is known that damage to the gut’s nervous system is an important factor, but it has been unclear exactly where and when this damage occurs during the course of an infection and also why only a subset of infected people suffer from this outcome. We studied infections in mice and found certain combinations of strains of parasites and mice that exhibited symptoms similar to human digestive Chagas patients, including a problem with peristalsis that localised specifically to the colon. Using parasites that were genetically engineered to emit both bioluminescent and fluorescent light, we tracked infections over time and were able to analyse rare infected cells deep within the muscle tissue of the wall of the colon. We found evidence of damaged neurons in the same location as these infection foci over 6 months after initial infection. Our results show that digestive Chagas disease probably develops as a result of chronic infection and inflammation, which potentially changes approaches to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archie A. Khan
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Harry C. Langston
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fernanda C. Costa
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Francisco Olmo
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martin C. Taylor
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Conor J. McCann
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University College London, Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - John M. Kelly
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael D. Lewis
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Choudhury SD. Nano-Medicines a Hope for Chagas Disease! Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:655435. [PMID: 34141721 PMCID: PMC8204082 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.655435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, is a vector-mediated tropical disease whose causative agent is a parasitic protozoan named Trypanosoma cruzi. It is a very severe health issue in South America and Mexico infecting millions of people every year. Protozoan T. cruzi gets transmitted to human through Triatominae, a subfamily of the Reduviidae, and do not have any effective treatment or preventative available. The lack of economic gains from this tropical parasitic infection, has always been the reason behind its negligence by researchers and drug manufacturers for many decades. Hence there is an enormous requirement for more efficient and novel strategies to reduce the fatality associated with these diseases. Even, available diagnosis protocols are outdated and inefficient and there is an urgent need for rapid high throughput diagnostics as well as management protocol. The current advancement of nanotechnology in the field of healthcare has generated hope for better management of many tropical diseases including Chagas disease. Nanoparticulate systems for drug delivery like poloxamer coated nanosuspension of benzimidazole have shown promising results in reducing toxicity, elevating efficacy and bioavailability of the active compound against the pathogen, by prolonging release, thereby increasing the therapeutic index. Moreover, nanoparticle-based drug delivery has shown promising results in inducing the host’s immune response against the pathogen with very few side effects. Besides, advances in diagnostic assays, such as nanosensors, aided in the accurate detection of the parasite. In this review, we provide an insight into the life cycle stages of the pathogen in both vertebrate host and the insect vector, along with an overview of the current therapy for Chagas disease and its limitations; nano carrier-based delivery systems for antichagasic agents, we also address the advancement of nano vaccines and nano-diagnostic techniques, for treatment of Chagas disease, majorly focusing on the novel perspectives in combating the disease.
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do Carmo Neto JR, Braga YLL, da Costa AWF, Lucio FH, do Nascimento TC, dos Reis MA, Celes MRN, de Oliveira FA, Machado JR, da Silva MV. Biomarkers and Their Possible Functions in the Intestinal Microenvironment of Chagasic Megacolon: An Overview of the (Neuro)inflammatory Process. J Immunol Res 2021; 2021:6668739. [PMID: 33928170 PMCID: PMC8049798 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6668739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The association between inflammatory processes and intestinal neuronal destruction during the progression of Chagasic megacolon is well established. However, many other components play essential roles, both in the long-term progression and control of the clinical status of patients infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Components such as neuronal subpopulations, enteric glial cells, mast cells and their proteases, and homeostasis-related proteins from several organic systems (serotonin and galectins) are differentially involved in the progression of Chagasic megacolon. This review is aimed at revealing the characteristics of the intestinal microenvironment found in Chagasic megacolon by using different types of already used biomarkers. Information regarding these components may provide new therapeutic alternatives and improve the understanding of the association between T. cruzi infection and immune, endocrine, and neurological system changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Rodrigues do Carmo Neto
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Yarlla Loyane Lira Braga
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Arthur Wilson Florêncio da Costa
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Hélia Lucio
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Thais Cardoso do Nascimento
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Marlene Antônia dos Reis
- Department of General Pathology, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Mara Rubia Nunes Celes
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Flávia Aparecida de Oliveira
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Juliana Reis Machado
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
- Department of General Pathology, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marcos Vinícius da Silva
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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do Carmo Neto JR, Vinicius da Silva M, Braga YLL, Florencio da Costa AW, Fonseca SG, Nagib PRA, Nunes Celes MR, Oliveira MAP, Machado JR. Correlation between intestinal BMP2, IFNγ, and neural death in experimental infection with Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246692. [PMID: 33561140 PMCID: PMC7872263 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Megacolon is one of the main late complications of Chagas disease, affecting approximately 10% of symptomatic patients. However, studies are needed to understand the mechanisms involved in the progression of this condition. During infection by Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), an inflammatory profile sets in that is involved in neural death, and this destruction is known to be essential for megacolon progression. One of the proteins related to the maintenance of intestinal neurons is the type 2 bone morphogenetic protein (BMP2). Intestinal BMP2 homeostasis is directly involved in the maintenance of organ function. Thus, the aim of this study was to correlate the production of intestinal BMP2 with immunopathological changes in C57Bl/6 mice infected with the T. cruzi Y strain in the acute and chronic phases. The mice were infected with 1000 blood trypomastigote forms. After euthanasia, the colon was collected, divided into two fragments, and a half was used for histological analysis and the other half for BMP2, IFNγ, TNF-α, and IL-10 quantification. The infection induced increased intestinal IFNγ and BMP2 production during the acute phase as well as an increase in the inflammatory infiltrate. In contrast, a decreased number of neurons in the myenteric plexus were observed during this phase. Collagen deposition increased gradually throughout the infection, as demonstrated in the chronic phase. Additionally, a BMP2 increase during the acute phase was positively correlated with intestinal IFNγ. In the same analyzed period, BMP2 and IFNγ showed negative correlations with the number of neurons in the myenteric plexus. As the first report of BMP2 alteration after infection by T. cruzi, we suggest that this imbalance is not only related to neuronal damage but may also represent a new route for maintaining the intestinal proinflammatory profile during the acute phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Rodrigues do Carmo Neto
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Marcos Vinicius da Silva
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences of Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Yarlla Loyane Lira Braga
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Arthur Wilson Florencio da Costa
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Simone Gonçalves Fonseca
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Patricia Resende Alô Nagib
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Mara Rúbia Nunes Celes
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Milton Adriano Pelli Oliveira
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Juliana Reis Machado
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil
- Department of General Pathology, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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11
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Ricci MF, Béla SR, Moraes MM, Bahia MT, Mazzeti AL, Oliveira ACS, Andrade LO, Radí R, Piacenza L, Arantes RME. Neuronal Parasitism, Early Myenteric Neurons Depopulation and Continuous Axonal Networking Damage as Underlying Mechanisms of the Experimental Intestinal Chagas' Disease. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:583899. [PMID: 33178632 PMCID: PMC7597600 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.583899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a growing consensus that the balance between the persistence of infection and the host immune response is crucial for chronification of Chagas heart disease. Extrapolation for chagasic megacolon is hampered because research in humans and animal models that reproduce intestinal pathology is lacking. The parasite-host relationship and its consequence to the disease are not well-known. Our model describes the temporal changes in the mice intestine wall throughout the infection, parasitism, and the development of megacolon. It also presents the consequence of the infection of primary myenteric neurons in culture with Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi). Oxidative neuronal damage, involving reactive nitrogen species induced by parasite infection and cytokine production, results in the denervation of the myenteric ganglia in the acute phase. The long-term inflammation induced by the parasite's DNA causes intramuscular axonal damage, smooth muscle hypertrophy, and inconsistent innervation, affecting contractility. Acute phase neuronal loss may be irreversible. However, the dynamics of the damages revealed herein indicate that neuroprotection interventions in acute and chronic phases may help to eradicate the parasite and control the inflammatory-induced increase of the intestinal wall thickness and axonal loss. Our model is a powerful approach to integrate the acute and chronic events triggered by T. cruzi, leading to megacolon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayra Fernanda Ricci
- Departament of Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Samantha Ribeiro Béla
- Departament of Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Departament of Biological and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Michele Macedo Moraes
- Departament of Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Maria Terezinha Bahia
- Departament of Biological and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Ana Lia Mazzeti
- Departament of Biological and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | | | | | - Rafael Radí
- Departament of Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Center for Free Radical and Biomedical Research, Universidad de La Republica Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Lucía Piacenza
- Departament of Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Center for Free Radical and Biomedical Research, Universidad de La Republica Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
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13
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Borges Migliavaca C, Stein C, Colpani V, René Pinto de Sousa Miguel S, Nascimento Cruz L, Oliveira Dantas R, Falavigna M. Isosorbide and nifedipine for Chagas' megaesophagus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006836. [PMID: 30265663 PMCID: PMC6179300 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease. About 6 to 8 million people are chronically infected and 10% to 15% develop irreversible gastrointestinal disorders, including megaesophagus. Treatment focuses on improving symptoms, and isosorbide and nifedipine may be used for this purpose. METHODOLOGY We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment for Chagas' megaesophagus. We searched MEDLINE, Embase and LILACS databases up to January 2018. We included both observational studies and RCTs evaluating the effects of isosorbide or nifedipine in adult patients with Chagas' megaesophagus. Two reviewers screened titles and abstracts, selected eligible studies and extracted data. We assessed the risk of bias using NIH 'Quality Assessment Tool for Before-After (Pre-Post) Studies with No Control Group' and RoB 2.0 tool. Overall quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We included eight studies (four crossover RCTs, four before-after studies). Three studies evaluated the effect of isosorbide on lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP), showing a significant reduction (mean difference -10.52mmHg, 95%CI -13.57 to-7.47, very low quality of evidence). Three studies reported the effect of isosorbide on esophageal emptying, showing a decrease in esophageal retention rates (mean difference -22.16%, 95%CI -29.94 to -14.38, low quality of evidence). In one study, patients on isosorbide reported improvement in the frequency and severity of dysphagia (moderate quality of evidence). Studies evaluating nifedipine observed a decrease in LESP but no effect on esophageal emptying (very low and low quality of evidence, respectively). Isosorbide had a higher incidence of headache as a side effect than nifedipine. CONCLUSIONS Although limited, available evidence shows that both isosorbide and nifedipine are effective in reducing esophageal symptoms. Isosorbide appears to be more effective, and its use is supported by a larger number of studies; nifedipine, however, appears to have a better tolerability profile. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42017055143. ClinicalTrials.gov CRD42017055143.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celina Borges Migliavaca
- Institute for Education and Research, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Cinara Stein
- Institute for Education and Research, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Verônica Colpani
- Institute for Education and Research, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Centro Universitário FADERGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Faculdade Meridional–IMED, Passo Fundo, Brazil
| | - Sandro René Pinto de Sousa Miguel
- Institute for Education and Research, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Health Technology Assessment, Post Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luciane Nascimento Cruz
- Institute for Education and Research, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Health Technology Assessment, Post Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Roberto Oliveira Dantas
- Department of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maicon Falavigna
- Institute for Education and Research, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Health Technology Assessment, Post Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University Health Sciences Centre, Hamilton, Canada
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14
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Duarte JG, Nascimento RD, Martins PR, d'Ávila Reis D. Evaluation of the immunoreactivity of nerve growth factor and tropomyosin receptor kinase A in the esophagus of noninfected and infected individuals with Trypanosoma cruzi. Parasitol Res 2018; 117:1647-1655. [PMID: 29550999 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-5838-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Megaesophagus is one of the major manifestations of the chronic phase of Chagas disease. Its primary symptom is generally dysphagia due to disturbance in the lower esophageal sphincter. Microscopically, the affected organ presents denervation, which has been considered as consequence of an inflammatory process that begins at the acute phase and persists in the chronic phase. Inflammatory infiltrates are composed of lymphocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, mast cells, and eosinophils. In this study, we evaluated the immunoreactivity of nerve growth factor (NGF), and of its receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA), molecules that are well known for having a relevant role in neuroimmune communication in the gastrointestinal tract. Esophageal samples obtained via autopsy or surgery procedures from six noninfected individuals, six infected individuals without megaesophagus, and six infected individuals with megaesophagus were analyzed. Infected individuals without megaesophagus presented increased numbers of NGF immunoreactive (IR) mast cells and increased areas of TrkA-IR epithelial cells and inner muscle cells. Infected individuals with megaesophagus showed increased numbers of NGF-IR eosinophils and mast cells, TrkA-IR eosinophils and mast cells, increased area of NGF-IR epithelial cells, and increased areas of TrkA-IR epithelials cells and inner muscle cells. The data presented here point to the participation of NGF and its TrkA receptor in the pathology of chagasic megaesophagus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Garcia Duarte
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rodolfo Duarte Nascimento
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Vida, Instituto de Ciências da Vida, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Patrícia Rocha Martins
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Débora d'Ávila Reis
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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15
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Mast cell-nerve interaction in the colon of Trypanosoma cruzi-infected individuals with chagasic megacolon. Parasitol Res 2018; 117:1147-1158. [PMID: 29470711 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-5792-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is an infection caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that affects millions of people worldwide and is endemic in Latin America. Megacolon is the most frequent complication of the digestive chronic form and happens due to lesions of the enteric nervous system. The neuronal lesions seem to initiate in the acute phase and persist during the chronic phase, albeit the mechanisms involved in this process are still debated. Among the cells of the immune system possibly involved in this pathological process is the mast cell (MC) due to its well-known role in the bi-directional communication between the immune and nervous systems. Using ultrastructural analysis, we found an increased number of degranulated MCs in close proximity to nerve fibers in infected patients when compared with uninfected controls. We also immunostained MCs for the two pro-inflammatory molecules tryptase and chymase, the first being also important in neuronal death. The number of MCs immunostained for tryptase or chymase was increased in patients with megacolon, whereas increased tryptase staining was additionally observed in patients without megacolon. Moreover, we detected the expression of the tryptase receptor PAR2 in neurons of the enteric nervous system, which correlated to the tryptase staining results. Altogether, the data presented herein point to the participation of MCs on the denervation process that occurs in the development of T. cruzi-induced megacolon.
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16
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Panesso-Gómez S, Pavia P, Rodríguez-Mantilla IE, Lasso P, Orozco LA, Cuellar A, Puerta CJ, Mendoza de Molano B, González JM. Trypanosoma cruzi Detection in Colombian Patients with a Diagnosis of Esophageal Achalasia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018; 98:717-723. [PMID: 29405099 PMCID: PMC5930867 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Achalasia is a motility disorder of the esophagus that might be secondary to a chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Several studies have investigated esophageal achalasia in patients with Chagas disease (CD) in Latin America, but no related studies have been performed in Colombia. The goals of the present study were to determine the presence of anti-T. cruzi antibodies in patients with esophageal achalasia who visited a referral hospital in Bogotá, Colombia, and to detect the presence of the parasite and its discrete typing units (DTUs). This cross-sectional study was conducted in adult patients (18-65 years old) who were previously diagnosed with esophageal achalasia and from whom blood was drawn to assess antibodies against T. cruzi using four different serological tests. Trypanosoma cruzi DNA was detected by conventional polymerase chain reaction (cPCR) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In total, 38 patients, with an average age of 46.6 years (standard deviation of ±16.2) and comprising 16 men and 22 women, were enrolled. Five (13.15%) patients were found to be positive for anti-T. cruzi antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and two patients who were negative according to IFA were reactive by both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot (5.3%). Parasite DNA was detected in two of these seven patients by cPCR and in one of these by qPCR. The parasite DTU obtained was TcI. In summary, this study identified T. cruzi in Colombian patients with esophageal achalasia, indicating that digestive compromise could also be present in patients with chronic CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Panesso-Gómez
- Grupo de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paula Pavia
- Scientific Research Unit, Hospital Militar Central, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Paola Lasso
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, School of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Luis A Orozco
- Gastrocenter, Investigación y Desarrollo Sistemas Clínicos, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Cuellar
- Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, School of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Concepción J Puerta
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, School of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Belén Mendoza de Molano
- Gastroenterology Section, Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - John M González
- Grupo de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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17
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Benvenuti LA, Roggério A, Cavalcanti MM, Nishiya AS, Levi JE. An autopsy-based study of Trypanosoma cruzi persistence in organs of chronic chagasic patients and its relevance for transplantation. Transpl Infect Dis 2017; 19. [PMID: 28945308 DOI: 10.1111/tid.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas' disease (CD) is caused by infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. The disease can affect the heart and/or the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, but around 70% of infected individuals remain asymptomatic in the chronic form. Organ transplantation from T. cruzi-infected donors is often avoided because of the risk of disease transmission, previously reported after heart, kidney, or liver transplantation. METHODS We investigated by histology, immunohistochemistry, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the persistence of T. cruzi in samples of the heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, adrenal gland, esophagus, and GI tract of 21 chronic chagasic patients. RESULTS Parasite persistence was detected in 12/21 (57.1%) heart samples, mainly by PCR-based assays. T. cruzi parasites were detected by histology and immunohistochemistry in smooth muscle cells of the central vein from 1/21 (4.8%) adrenal gland samples. No samples of the lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, esophagus, or GI tract were found to have parasites by histology, immunohistochemistry, or PCR. CONCLUSIONS We concluded that, aside from the heart, the other solid organs of T. cruzi-infected donors can be used for transplantation with a lot of caution. Such organs are not safe in the view of previous reports of CD transmission, but seem to present a low T. cruzi load compared to the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz A Benvenuti
- Heart Institute (InCor) do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Roggério
- Heart Institute (InCor) do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marta M Cavalcanti
- Heart Institute (InCor) do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Anna S Nishiya
- Molecular Biology Department, Fundação Pró-Sangue/São Paulo Blood Center, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - José E Levi
- Molecular Biology Department, Fundação Pró-Sangue/São Paulo Blood Center, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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18
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Lewis MD, Kelly JM. Putting Infection Dynamics at the Heart of Chagas Disease. Trends Parasitol 2016; 32:899-911. [PMID: 27612651 PMCID: PMC5086431 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2016.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Revised: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infections, parasite burden is controlled by effective, but nonsterilising immune responses. Infected cells are difficult to detect because they are scarce and focally distributed in multiple sites. However, advances in detection technologies have established a link between parasite persistence and the pathogenesis of Chagas heart disease. Long-term persistence likely involves episodic reinvasion as well as continuous infection, to an extent that varies between tissues. The primary reservoir sites in humans are not definitively known, but analysis of murine models has identified the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we highlight that quantitative, spatial, and temporal aspects of T. cruzi infection are central to a fuller understanding of the association between persistence, pathogenesis, and immunity, and for optimising treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Lewis
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK; Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - John M Kelly
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
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19
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Lewis MD, Francisco AF, Taylor MC, Jayawardhana S, Kelly JM. Host and parasite genetics shape a link between Trypanosoma cruzi infection dynamics and chronic cardiomyopathy. Cell Microbiol 2016; 18:1429-43. [PMID: 26918803 PMCID: PMC5031194 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Host and parasite diversity are suspected to be key factors in Chagas disease pathogenesis. Experimental investigation of underlying mechanisms is hampered by a lack of tools to detect scarce, pleiotropic infection foci. We developed sensitive imaging models to track Trypanosoma cruzi infection dynamics and quantify tissue-specific parasite loads, with minimal sampling bias. We used this technology to investigate cardiomyopathy caused by highly divergent parasite strains in BALB/c, C3H/HeN and C57BL/6 mice. The gastrointestinal tract was unexpectedly found to be the primary site of chronic infection in all models. Immunosuppression induced expansion of parasite loads in the gut and was followed by widespread dissemination. These data indicate that differential immune control of T. cruzi occurs between tissues and shows that the large intestine and stomach provide permissive niches for active infection. The end-point frequency of heart-specific infections ranged from 0% in TcVI-CLBR-infected C57BL/6 to 88% in TcI-JR-infected C3H/HeN mice. Nevertheless, infection led to fibrotic cardiac pathology in all models. Heart disease severity was associated with the model-dependent frequency of dissemination outside the gut and inferred cumulative heart-specific parasite loads. We propose a model of cardiac pathogenesis driven by periodic trafficking of parasites into the heart, occurring at a frequency determined by host and parasite genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Lewis
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA.
| | - Amanda Fortes Francisco
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Martin C Taylor
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Shiromani Jayawardhana
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - John M Kelly
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
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20
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De Pablos LM, Díaz Lozano IM, Jercic MI, Quinzada M, Giménez MJ, Calabuig E, Espino AM, Schijman AG, Zulantay I, Apt W, Osuna A. The C-terminal region of Trypanosoma cruzi MASPs is antigenic and secreted via exovesicles. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27293. [PMID: 27270330 PMCID: PMC4897614 DOI: 10.1038/srep27293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease, a neglected and emerging tropical disease, endemic to South America and present in non-endemic regions due to human migration. The MASP multigene family is specific to T. cruzi, accounting for 6% of the parasite’s genome and plays a key role in immune evasion. A common feature of MASPs is the presence of two conserved regions: an N-terminal region codifying for signal peptide and a C-terminal (C-term) region, which potentially acts as GPI-addition signal peptide. Our aim was the analysis of the presence of an immune response against the MASP C-term region. We found that this region is highly conserved, released via exovesicles (EVs) and has an associated immune response as revealed by epitope affinity mapping, IFA and inhibition of the complement lysis assays. We also demonstrate the presence of a fast IgM response in Balb/c mice infected with T. cruzi. Our results reveal the presence of non-canonical secreted peptides in EVs, which can subsequently be exposed to the immune system with a potential role in evading immune system targets in the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Miguel De Pablos
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular, Campus de Fuentenueva, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.,Center for Immunology and Infection (CII), Biology Department, University of York, York, UK
| | - Isabel María Díaz Lozano
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular, Campus de Fuentenueva, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Maria Isabel Jercic
- Parasitology Reference Laboratory, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Avenida Marathon 1000, 7780050 Santiago, Chile
| | - Markela Quinzada
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Maria José Giménez
- Servicio de Microbiología Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Eva Calabuig
- Servicio de Microbiología Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Margarita Espino
- Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine. PO BOX 365067, San Juan, 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | | | - Inés Zulantay
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Werner Apt
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Antonio Osuna
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular, Campus de Fuentenueva, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
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Campos CF, Cangussú SD, Duz ALC, Cartelle CT, Noviello MDL, Veloso VM, Bahia MT, Almeida-Leite CM, Arantes RME. Enteric Neuronal Damage, Intramuscular Denervation and Smooth Muscle Phenotype Changes as Mechanisms of Chagasic Megacolon: Evidence from a Long-Term Murine Model of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153038. [PMID: 27045678 PMCID: PMC4821538 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
We developed a novel murine model of long-term infection with Trypanosoma cruzi with the aim to elucidate the pathogenesis of megacolon and the associated adaptive and neuromuscular intestinal disorders. Our intent was to produce a chronic stage of the disease since the early treatment should avoid 100% mortality of untreated animals at acute phase. Treatment allowed animals to be kept infected and alive in order to develop the chronic phase of infection with low parasitism as in human disease. A group of Swiss mice was infected with the Y strain of T. cruzi. At the 11th day after infection, a sub-group was euthanized (acute-phase group) and another sub-group was treated with benznidazole and euthanized 15 months after infection (chronic-phase group). Whole colon samples were harvested and used for studying the histopathology of the intestinal smooth muscle and the plasticity of the enteric nerves. In the acute phase, all animals presented inflammatory lesions associated with intense and diffuse parasitism of the muscular and submucosa layers, which were enlarged when compared with the controls. The occurrence of intense degenerative inflammatory changes and increased reticular fibers suggests inflammatory-induced necrosis of muscle cells. In the chronic phase, parasitism was insignificant; however, the architecture of Aüerbach plexuses was focally affected in the inflamed areas, and a significant decrease in the number of neurons and in the density of intramuscular nerve bundles was detected. Other changes observed included increased thickness of the colon wall, diffuse muscle cell hypertrophy, and increased collagen deposition, indicating early fibrosis in the damaged areas. Mast cell count significantly increased in the muscular layers. We propose a model for studying the long-term (15 months) pathogenesis of Chagasic megacolon in mice that mimics the human disease, which persists for several years and has not been fully elucidated. We hypothesize that the long-term inflammatory process mediates neuronal damage and intramuscular and intramural denervation, leading to phenotypic changes in smooth muscle cells associated with fibrosis. These long-term structural changes may represent the basic mechanism for the formation of the Chagasic megacolon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila França Campos
- Departamento de Patologia Geral Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Silvia Dantas Cangussú
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas/LAFEX, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ana Luiza Cassin Duz
- Departamento de Patologia Geral Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Christiane Teixeira Cartelle
- Departamento de Patologia Geral Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Maria de Lourdes Noviello
- Departamento de Patologia Geral Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Vanja Maria Veloso
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Maria Terezinha Bahia
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Camila Megale Almeida-Leite
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rosa Maria Esteves Arantes
- Departamento de Patologia Geral Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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22
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Halliez MCM, Buret AG. Gastrointestinal Parasites and the Neural Control of Gut Functions. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:452. [PMID: 26635531 PMCID: PMC4658430 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal motility and transport of water and electrolytes play key roles in the pathophysiology of diarrhea upon exposure to enteric parasites. These processes are actively modulated by the enteric nervous system (ENS), which includes efferent, and afferent neurons, as well as interneurons. ENS integrity is essential to the maintenance of homeostatic gut responses. A number of gastrointestinal parasites are known to cause disease by altering the ENS. The mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia duodenalis (syn. Giardia intestinalis, Giardia lamblia), Trypanosoma cruzi, Schistosoma species and others alter gastrointestinal motility, absorption, or secretion at least in part via effects on the ENS. Recent findings also implicate enteric parasites such as C. parvum and G. duodenalis in the development of post-infectious complications such as irritable bowel syndrome, which further underscores their effects on the gut-brain axis. This article critically reviews recent advances and the current state of knowledge on the impact of enteric parasitism on the neural control of gut functions, and provides insights into mechanisms underlying these abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie C M Halliez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Inflammation Research Network, Host-Parasite Interaction NSERC-CREATE, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada ; Protozooses transmises par l'alimentation, Rouen University Hospital, University of Rouen and Institute for Biomedical Research, University of Reims Champagne-Ardennes Rouen and Reims, France
| | - André G Buret
- Department of Biological Sciences, Inflammation Research Network, Host-Parasite Interaction NSERC-CREATE, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada
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Genetic Susceptibility to Cardiac and Digestive Clinical Forms of Chronic Chagas Disease: Involvement of the CCR5 59029 A/G Polymorphism. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141847. [PMID: 26599761 PMCID: PMC4657911 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical manifestations of chronic Chagas disease include the cardiac form of the disease and the digestive form. Not all the factors that act in the variable clinical course of this disease are known. This study investigated whether the CCR5Δ32 (rs333) and CCR5 59029 A/G (promoter region--rs1799987) polymorphisms of the CCR5 gene are associated with different clinical forms of chronic Chagas disease and with the severity of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with chronic Chagas heart disease (CCHD). The antibodies anti-T. cruzi were identified by ELISA. PCR and PCR-RFLP were used to identify the CCR5Δ32 and CCR5 59029 A/G polymorphisms. The chi-square test was used to compare variables between groups. There was a higher frequency of the AA genotype in patients with CCHD compared with patients with the digestive form of the disease and the control group. The results also showed a high frequency of the AG genotype in patients with the digestive form of the disease compared to the other groups. The results of this study show that the CCR5Δ32 polymorphism does not seem to influence the different clinical manifestations of Chagas disease but there is involvement of the CCR5 59029 A/G polymorphism in susceptibility to the different forms of chronic Chagas disease. Besides, these polymorphisms do not influence left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with CCHD.
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Mast cells in the colon of Trypanosoma cruzi-infected patients: are they involved in the recruitment, survival and/or activation of eosinophils? Parasitol Res 2015; 114:1847-56. [PMID: 25711147 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4371-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Megacolon is frequently observed in patients who develop the digestive form of Chagas disease. It is characterized by dilation of the rectum-sigmoid portion and thickening of the colon wall. Microscopically, the affected organ presents denervation, which has been considered as consequence of an inflammatory process that begins at the acute phase and persists in the chronic phase of infection. Inflammatory infiltrates are composed of lymphocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, mast cells, and eosinophils. In this study, we hypothesized that mast cells producing tryptase could influence the migration and the activation of eosinophils at the site, thereby contributing to the immunopathology of the chronic phase. We seek evidence of interactions between mast cells and eosinophils through (1) evaluation of eosinophils, regarding the expression of PAR2, a tryptase receptor; (2) correlation analysis between densities of mast cells and eosinophils; and (3) ultrastructural studies. The electron microscopy studies revealed signs of activation of mast cells and eosinophils, as well as physical interaction between these cells. Immunohistochemistry and correlation analyses point to the participation of tryptase immunoreactive mast cells in the migration and/or survival of eosinophils at the affected organ.
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Lewis MD, Fortes Francisco A, Taylor MC, Burrell-Saward H, McLatchie AP, Miles MA, Kelly JM. Bioluminescence imaging of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infections reveals tissue-specific parasite dynamics and heart disease in the absence of locally persistent infection. Cell Microbiol 2014; 16:1285-300. [PMID: 24712539 PMCID: PMC4190689 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Summary Chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infections lead to cardiomyopathy in 20–30% of cases. A causal link between cardiac infection and pathology has been difficult to establish because of a lack of robust methods to detect scarce, focally distributed parasites within tissues. We developed a highly sensitive bioluminescence imaging system based on T. cruzi expressing a novel luciferase that emits tissue-penetrating orange-red light. This enabled long-term serial evaluation of parasite burdens in individual mice with an in vivo limit of detection of significantly less than 1000 parasites. Parasite distributions during chronic infections were highly focal and spatiotemporally dynamic, but did not localize to the heart. End-point ex vivo bioluminescence imaging allowed tissue-specific quantification of parasite loads with minimal sampling bias. During chronic infections, the gastro-intestinal tract, specifically the colon and stomach, was the only site where T. cruzi infection was consistently observed. Quantitative PCR-inferred parasite loads correlated with ex vivo bioluminescence and confirmed the gut as the parasite reservoir. Chronically infected mice developed myocarditis and cardiac fibrosis, despite the absence of locally persistent parasites. These data identify the gut as a permissive niche for long-term T. cruzi infection and show that canonical features of Chagas disease can occur without continual myocardium-specific infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Lewis
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
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Nogueira-Paiva NC, Fonseca KDS, Vieira PMDA, Diniz LF, Caldas IS, Moura SALD, Veloso VM, Guedes PMDM, Tafuri WL, Bahia MT, Carneiro CM. Myenteric plexus is differentially affected by infection with distinct Trypanosoma cruzi strains in Beagle dogs. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2014; 109:51-60. [PMID: 24271001 PMCID: PMC4005521 DOI: 10.1590/0074-0276130216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2013] [Accepted: 08/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagasic megaoesophagus and megacolon are characterised by motor abnormalities related to enteric nervous system lesions and their development seems to be related to geographic distribution of distinct Trypanosoma cruzi subpopulations. Beagle dogs were infected with Y or Berenice-78 (Be-78) T. cruzi strains and necropsied during the acute or chronic phase of experimental disease for post mortem histopathological evaluation of the oesophagus and colon. Both strains infected the oesophagus and colon and caused an inflammatory response during the acute phase. In the chronic phase, inflammatory process was observed exclusively in the Be-78 infected animals, possibly due to a parasitism persistent only in this group. Myenteric denervation occurred during the acute phase of infection for both strains, but persisted chronically only in Be-78 infected animals. Glial cell involvement occurred earlier in animals infected with the Y strain, while animals infected with the Be-78 strain showed reduced glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactive area of enteric glial cells in the chronic phase. These results suggest that although both strains cause lesions in the digestive tract, the Y strain is associated with early control of the lesion, while the Be-78 strain results in progressive gut lesions in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kátia da Silva Fonseca
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto
| | - Paula Melo de Abreu Vieira
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto
| | - Lívia Figueiredo Diniz
- Laboratório de Doença de Chagas, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto
| | - Ivo Santana Caldas
- Laboratório de Doença de Chagas, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto
| | | | - Vanja Maria Veloso
- Departamento de Farmácia, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto
| | | | - Washington Luiz Tafuri
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto
| | - Maria Terezinha Bahia
- Laboratório de Doença de Chagas, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto
| | - Cláudia Martins Carneiro
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto
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27
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Nascimento RD, Martins PR, de Souza Lisboa A, Adad SJ, Morais da Silveira AB, Reis DD. An imbalance between substance P and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide might contribute to the immunopathology of megaesophagus after Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Hum Pathol 2013; 44:269-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2012.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2012] [Revised: 05/22/2012] [Accepted: 05/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Moreira MD, Brehmer A, de Oliveira EC, Neto SG, Luquetti AO, Bueno LL, Fujiwara RT, de Freitas MAR, da Silveira ABM. Regenerative process evaluation of neuronal subclasses in chagasic patients with megacolon. Hum Immunol 2012; 74:181-8. [PMID: 23220499 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2012.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 11/27/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Chagas' disease is one of the most serious parasitic diseases of Latin America, with a social and economic impact far outweighing the combined effects of other parasitic diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis. In the chronic phase of this disease, the destruction of enteric nervous system (ENS) components leads to megacolon development. Previous data presented that the regeneration tax in the ENS neurons is augmented in chagasic patients. Although, there are several neuronal types with different functions in the intestine a detailed study about the regeneration of every neuronal type was never performed before. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the regeneration tax of every neuronal cell type in the ENS from chagasic patients with megacolon and non-infected individuals. A neuronal regeneration marker (GAP-43) was used in combination with a pan-neuronal marker (Peripherin) and several neuropeptides markers (cChat, Substance P, NPY, VIP and NOS), and it was considered as positive just with the combination of these markers. Our results demonstrated that the regeneration levels of cChat, Substance P, and NPY were similar in chagasic patients and non-infected individuals. However, levels of VIP and NOS neuropeptides were increased in chagasic patients when compared with non-infected individuals. We believe that the augment in the regeneration occur due to an increased destruction of selective neuronal types. These results corroborates with previous studies that pointed out to selective destruction of VIP and NOS neurons in chagasic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Dionízio Moreira
- Neurosciences Laboratory, Human Anatomy Department, ICBIM, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38.400-902, Brazil
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Wen JJ, Garg NJ. Proteome expression and carbonylation changes during Trypanosoma cruzi infection and Chagas disease in rats. Mol Cell Proteomics 2011; 11:M111.010918. [PMID: 22199233 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m111.010918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammation and oxidative stress, elicited by Trypanosoma cruzi infection, are important pathologic events during progressive Chagasic cardiomyopathy. In this study, we infected Sprague-Dawley rats with T. cruzi, and treated with phenyl-α-tert-butylnitrone (PBN-antioxidant) and/or benznidazole (BZ-anti-parasite). We employed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis/mass spectrometry to investigate (a) the plasma proteomic changes associated with infection and disease development, and (b) the beneficial effects of PBN and BZ in controlling the disease-associated plasma profile. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight (MALDI-TOF) tandem MS (MS/MS) analysis of differentially expressed (total 146) and oxidized (total 48) protein spots yielded 92 unique proteins. Our data showed that treatment with PBN and BZ restored the differential expression of 65% and 30% of the disease-associated proteins to normal level, respectively, and PBN prevented development of oxidative adducts on plasma proteins. Western blotting to detect dinitrophenyl-derivatized carbonyl-proteins revealed plasma proteins were maximally oxidized during acute infection. Functional and disease/disorder analyses allocated a majority of the differentially expressed and oxidized proteins into inflammation/immunity and lipid metabolism categories and to molecular pathways associated with heart disease (e.g. cardiac infarction, contractile dysfunction, hypertrophy, and hypertension) in chagasic rats, and to curative pathways (e.g. ROS scavenging capacity, immune regulation) in infected rats treated with PBN and/or BZ. We validated the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis results by Western blotting, and demonstrated that the disease-associated increased expression of gelsolin and vimentin and release of cardiac MYL2 in the plasma of chagasic rats was returned to control level by PBN/BZ treatment. Increased plasma levels of gelsolin, MYL2 and vimentin were directly correlated with the severity of cardiac disease in human chagasic patients. Together, these results demonstrate the plasma oxidative and inflammatory response profile, and plasma detection of cardiac proteins parallels the pathologic events contributing to Chagas disease development, and is of potential utility in diagnosing disease severity and designing suitable therapy for management of human chagasic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Jun Wen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-1070, USA
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Chuenkova MV, Pereiraperrin M. Neurodegeneration and neuroregeneration in Chagas disease. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2011; 76:195-233. [PMID: 21884893 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-385895-5.00009-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Autonomic dysfunction plays a significant role in the development of chronic Chagas disease (CD). Destruction of cardiac parasympathetic ganglia can underlie arrhythmia and heart failure, while lesions of enteric neurons in the intestinal plexuses are a direct cause of aperistalsis and megasyndromes. Neuropathology is generated by acute infection when the parasite, though not directly damaging to neuronal cells, elicits immune reactions that can become cytotoxic, inducing oxidative stress and neurodegeneration. Anti-neuronal autoimmunity may further contribute to neuropathology. Much less clear is the mechanism of subsequent neuronal regeneration in patients that survive acute infection. Morphological and functional recovery of the peripheral neurons in these patients correlates with the absence of CD clinical symptoms, while persistent neuronal deficiency is observed for the symptomatic group. The discovery that Trypanosoma cruzi trans-sialidase can moonlight as a parasite-derived neurotrophic factor (PDNF) suggests that the parasite might influence the balance between neuronal degeneration and regeneration. PDNF functionally mimics mammalian neurotrophic factors in that it binds and activates neurotrophin Trk tyrosine kinase receptors, a mechanism which prevents neurodegeneration. PDNF binding to Trk receptors triggers PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β and MAPK/Erk/CREB signalling cascades which in neurons translates into resistance to oxidative and nutritional stress, and inhibition of apoptosis, whereas in the cytoplasm of infected cells, PDNF represents a substrate-activator of the host Akt kinase, enhancing host-cell survival until completion of the intracellular cycle of the parasite. Such dual activity of PDNF provides sustained activation of survival mechanisms which, while prolonging parasite persistence in host tissues, can underlie distinct outcomes of CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina V Chuenkova
- Department of Pathology and Sackler School of Graduate Students, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Research on Trypanosoma cruzi and Analysis of Inflammatory Infiltrate in Esophagus and Colon from Chronic Chagasic Patients with and without Mega. J Trop Med 2011; 2012:232646. [PMID: 22131997 PMCID: PMC3206379 DOI: 10.1155/2012/232646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2011] [Accepted: 08/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
To compare parasitism and inflammatory process in esophagus and colon from chronic chagasic patients, immunohistochemistry was carried out to research for T. cruzi and to evaluate the inflammatory infiltrate in the muscular and myenteric plexus in 39 esophagi (20 with and 19 without megaesophagus) and 50 colons (25 with and 25 without megacolon). The frequency of T. cruzi in megaesophagus was 20%, and in megacolon it was 4%. No amastigotes were found in organs without mega; considering the total of esophagi (with and without mega), the frequency of T. cruzi would be 10% and 2% in the colon. Myositis and ganglionitis were more frequent and intense in organs with mega compared to those without mega, and in esophagus compared to colon. Qualitatively, inflammatory infiltration in esophagus and colon, with or without mega, was similar, consisting predominantly of T lymphocytes (CD3+), scarce macrophages (CD68+), and rare B lymphocytes (CD20+).
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Enteroglial cells act as antigen-presenting cells in chagasic megacolon. Hum Pathol 2011; 42:522-32. [PMID: 21208643 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2010.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2010] [Revised: 06/14/2010] [Accepted: 06/17/2010] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease is one of the most serious parasitic diseases of Latin America, with a social and economic impact far outweighing the combined effects of other parasitic diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis, and schistosomiasis. In the chronic phase of this disease, the destruction of enteric nervous system components leads to megacolon development. Besides neurons, the enteric nervous system is constituted by enteric glial cells, representing an extensive but relatively poorly described population within the gastrointestinal tract. Several lines of evidence suggest that enteric glial cells represent an equivalent of central nervous system astrocytes. Previous data suggest that enteric glia and neurons are active in the enteric nervous system during intestinal inflammatory and immune responses. To evaluate whether these cells act as antigen-presenting cells, we investigated the expression of molecules responsible for activation of T cells, such as HLA-DR complex class II and costimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86), by neurons and enteric glial cells. Our results indicate that only enteric glial cells of chagasic patients with megacolon express HLA-DR complex class II and costimulatory molecules, and hence they present the attributes necessary to act as antigen-presenting cells.
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Nascimento RD, de Souza Lisboa A, Fujiwara RT, de Freitas MAR, Adad SJ, Oliveira RC, d'Ávila Reis D, da Silveira ABM. Characterization of enteroglial cells and denervation process in chagasic patients with and without megaesophagus. Hum Pathol 2010; 41:528-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2009.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2009] [Revised: 05/17/2009] [Accepted: 05/21/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Dutra WO, Menezes CAS, Villani FNA, da Costa GC, da Silveira ABM, Reis DD, Gollob KJ. Cellular and genetic mechanisms involved in the generation of protective and pathogenic immune responses in human Chagas disease. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2010; 104 Suppl 1:208-18. [PMID: 19753476 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762009000900027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2009] [Accepted: 05/14/2009] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of human Chagas disease is the complex network of events that underlie the generation of protective versus pathogenic immune responses during the chronic phase of the disease. While most individuals do not develop patent disease, a large percentage may develop severe forms that eventually lead to death. Although many efforts have been devoted to deciphering these mechanisms, there is still much to be learned before we can fully understand the pathogenesis of Chagas disease. It is clear that the host's immune response is decisive in this process. While characteristics of the parasite influence the immune response, it is becoming evident that the host genetic background plays a fundamental role in the establishment of pathogenic versus protective responses. The involvement of three complex organisms, host, parasite and vector, is certainly one of the key aspects that calls for multidisciplinary approaches towards the understanding of Chagas disease. We believe that now, one hundred years after the discovery of Chagas disease, it is imperative to continue with highly interactive research in order to elucidate the immune response associated with disease evolution, which will be essential in designing prophylactic or therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walderez Ornelas Dutra
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.
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Garcia SB. [Chagas' disease: 100 years of discovery and current thought of its discoverer]. ARQUIVOS DE GASTROENTEROLOGIA 2009; 46:249-251. [PMID: 20232001 DOI: 10.1590/s0004-28032009000400001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
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da Silveira ABM, Chaves AT, de Araújo FF, Silva Gomes JA, Correa-Oliveira R, Toshio Fujiwara R, Ribeiro Freitas MA, de Oliveira EC, Neto SG, Luquetti AO, d'Avila Reis D. Expression of caspase-3 in enteric cells is related to development of chagasic megacolon. Hum Pathol 2009; 40:605-6. [PMID: 19289186 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2008.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2008] [Accepted: 12/23/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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da Silveira ABM, Freitas MAR, de Oliveira EC, Neto SG, Luquetti AO, Furness JB, Correa-Oliveira R, Reis DD. Glial fibrillary acidic protein and S-100 colocalization in the enteroglial cells in dilated and nondilated portions of colon from chagasic patients. Hum Pathol 2008; 40:244-51. [PMID: 18835625 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2008.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2008] [Revised: 04/03/2008] [Accepted: 04/04/2008] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
After acute immunoreactive infestation with the Chagas' disease parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, some patients develop chronic megacolon, whereas others remain asymptomatic. Chronic chagasic patients with gastrointestinal involvement exhibit inflammation and degeneration of enteric neurons. Our hypothesis is that enteric glial cells may be involved in the modulation of enteric inflammatory responses or even control the colon's dilatation. The aims of this study were to characterize the phenotype of enteric glial cells according to the expression of S-100 and glial fibrillary acidic protein and to look for correlation between these data and the neuronal loss in the colon of chagasic patients. We studied both dilated and nondilated portions of chagasic megacolon. We used a pan-enteric glial cell marker (anti-S-100), a subpopulation enteric glial cell marker (anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein), and a pan-neuronal marker (anti-Human protein C and protein D) with double-labeled sheets using a confocal microscope. Our results demonstrate that neuronal loss is similar in dilated and nondilated portions of chagasic megacolon. Moreover, the results indicate that neuronal destruction present in chagasic megacolon is preceded by glial component loss. The nondilated portion of chagasic megacolon exhibited increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein comparable with the dilated portion and also to the noninfected group. Our results suggest that glial fibrillary acidic protein enteric glial cells prevent dilatation of the organ and protect the enteric nervous system against the inflammatory process and neuronal destruction, preventing the destruction from expanding to unaffected areas of the colon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre B M da Silveira
- Anatomy Sector, Morphology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902, Brazil.
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Furlani VCG, Habacuque TS, Souza RR, Liberti EA. Morphological and quantitative study of ganglionated plexus of Calomys callosus trachea. Auton Neurosci 2008; 144:30-5. [PMID: 18824417 DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2008.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2008] [Revised: 07/29/2008] [Accepted: 08/20/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Calomys callosus is a wild, native forest rodent found in South America. In Brazil, this species has been reported to harbour the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. The ganglionated plexus of this species was studied using whole-mount preparations of trachea that were stained using histological and histochemical methods. The histological methods were used to determine the position of the ganglia with respect to the trachea muscle and to determine the presence of elastic and collagen fibers. The histochemical method of NADH-diaphorase was used for morphometric evaluations of the plexus. The tracheal plexus lies exclusively over the muscular part of the organ, dorsal to the muscle itself. It varies in pattern and extent between animals. The average number of neurons was 279 and the cellular profile area ranged from 38.37 microm2 to 805.89 microm2. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemistry verified that both ganglia and single neurons lie along nerve trunks and are reciprocally interconnected with the plexus. Intensely AChE-reactive neurons were found to be intermingled with poorly reactive ones. Two longitudinal AChE-positive nerve trunks were also observed and there was a diverse number of ganglia along the intricate network of nerves interconnecting the trunks. A ganglion capsule of collagen and elastic fibers surrounding the neurons was observed. Under polarized light, the capsule appeared to be formed by Type I collagen fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vânia C G Furlani
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
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Neuronal plasticity of the enteric nervous system is correlated with chagasic megacolon development. Parasitology 2008; 135:1337-42. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182008004770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYChagas' disease is one of the few functional gastrointestinal disorders for which a causative agent has been identified. However, some pathological aspects of the chagasic megasyndromes are still incompletely understood. Chagasic megacolon is characterized by an inflammatory process, organ dilatation and neuronal reduction in both plexuses of the enteric nervous system (ENS). Although some studies on the ENS in Chagas' disease have been performed, the process of neuronal destruction and neuronal regeneration still remains unclear. Our hypothesis is that the regeneration process of the ENS may be involved with the mechanisms that prevent or retard organ dilatation and chagasic megacolon development. For that reason, we evaluated the neuronal regeneration with the marker GAP-43 in the colon's neuronal plexuses from chagasic patients with megacolon, and from non-infected individuals. Visual examination and quantitative analysis revealed an increased neuronal regeneration process in the dilated portion from chagasic patients when compared with the non-dilated portion and with non-infected individuals. We believe that this increased regeneration can be interpreted as an accentuated neuronal plasticity that may be a response of the ENS to avoid megacolon propagation to the entire organ and maintain the colon functional innervation.
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Manoel-Caetano FDS, Carareto CMA, Borim AA, Miyazaki K, Silva AE. kDNA gene signatures of Trypanosoma cruzi in blood and oesophageal mucosa from chronic chagasic patients. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2008; 102:1102-7. [PMID: 18617206 DOI: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2008.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2008] [Revised: 05/28/2008] [Accepted: 05/29/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi presents a high degree of intraspecific variability, with possible implications for the pathogenesis of Chagas disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate T. cruzi kDNA minicircle gene signatures using the low-stringency single-specific-primer PCR technique in both peripheral blood and oesophageal mucosa from chronic chagasic patients, with or without megaesophagus, alone or in combination with cardiopathy and megacolon. It was not possible to identify a uniform pattern of shared bands between blood and oesophageal mucosa samples from individuals with the same clinical form or mixed forms, suggesting multiple T. cruzi infections with differential tissue tropism. Thus, the results indicate that there is an intense intraspecific variability in the hypervariable regions of T. cruzi kDNA, which has so far made it impossible to correlate the genetic profile of this structure with the clinical manifestations of Chagas disease.
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da Silveira ABM, Lemos EM, Adad SJ, Correa-Oliveira R, Furness JB, D'Avila Reis D. Megacolon in Chagas disease: a study of inflammatory cells, enteric nerves, and glial cells. Hum Pathol 2007; 38:1256-64. [PMID: 17490721 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2007.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2006] [Revised: 01/12/2007] [Accepted: 01/19/2007] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
After acute infestation with the Chagas disease parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, some patients who are serologically positive develop chronic megacolon and megaesophagus, whereas others are symptom-free. Chagas disease with gastrointestinal involvement involves an inflammatory invasion of the enteric plexuses and degeneration of enteric neurons. It is known that glial cells can be involved in enteric inflammatory responses. The aims were to determine the nature of any difference in lymphocytic invasion, enteric neurons, and enteric glial cells in seropositive individuals with and without megacolon. We have compared colonic tissue from serologically positive individuals with and without symptoms and from seronegative controls. Subjects with megacolon had significantly more CD-57 natural killer cells and TIA-1 cytotoxic lymphocytes within enteric ganglia, but numbers of CD-3 and CD-20 immunoreactive cells were not significantly elevated. The innervation of the muscle was substantially reduced to about 20% in megacolon, but asymptomatic seropositive subjects were not different to seronegative controls. Glial cell loss occurred equally in symptomatic and unaffected seropositive subjects, although the proportion with glial fibrillary acidic protein was greater in seropositive, nonsymptomatic subjects. Development of megacolon after acute infection with T cruzi is associated with maintained invasion of enteric ganglia with cytotoxic T cells and loss of muscle innervation, but changes in glial cell numbers are not associated with progression of enteric neuropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Barcelos Morais da Silveira
- Department of Morphology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CEP: 31270-901 Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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42
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da Silveira ABM, Adad SJ, Correa-Oliveira R, Furness JB, D'Avila Reis D. Morphometric study of eosinophils, mast cells, macrophages and fibrosis in the colon of chronic chagasic patients with and without megacolon. Parasitology 2007; 134:789-96. [PMID: 17288632 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182007002296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of chagasic megacolon are not completely characterized. Although autoimmunity may play a role in the pathogenesis of Chagas' disease, recent studies suggest a positive association of tissue parasitism, inflammation, and severity of lesions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of inflammatory cells and the occurrence of fibrosis in the colon of chagasic patients with and without megacolon. Samples from 26 patients were randomly selected and paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were sectioned and evaluated by histology and immunohistochemistry to analyse the occurrence and relation among eosinophils, mast cells, macrophages and fibrosis. Section analyses showed that the presence of eosinophils and mast cells in the analysed inflammatory cells has a direct correlation with fibrosis density in the chagasic megacolon. These data suggest that the megacolon's pathogenesis is based on a continuous process of cell damage. Our data propose that eosinophils, mast cells and macrophages may have a direct connection with the occurrence of fibrosis in the colon of chagasic patients. We believe that potential therapeutic agents against these cells could avoid the fibrosis process and contribute to prevent the development of chagasic megacolon.
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Affiliation(s)
- A B M da Silveira
- Department of Morphology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Almeida-Leite CMD, Galvão LMDC, Afonso LCC, Cunha FDQ, Arantes RME. Interferon-γ induced nitric oxide mediates in vitro neuronal damage by Trypanosoma cruzi-infected macrophages. Neurobiol Dis 2007; 25:170-8. [PMID: 17056264 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2006.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2006] [Revised: 09/01/2006] [Accepted: 09/05/2006] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal lesions and peripheral denervation in Chagas' disease are related to local inflammation; however, the pathogenic mechanisms of neuronal lesions in the heart and megavisceras are still unclear. We investigated the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) on neuronal lesion in co-cultures of neurons and macrophages. Trypanosoma cruzi-infected and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-activated co-cultures of neurons and wild-type (WT) macrophages showed significant reduction of both neuronal survival and neurite density. These findings correlated with the levels of NO and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Accordingly, neuronal survival rate in the co-cultures was recovered to control levels by treatment of the cultures with the iNOS inhibitor, aminoguanidine. Moreover, neither neuronal survival nor the neurite density was affected in the co-cultures when the macrophages were harvested from iNOS-deficient mice. These results demonstrate that iNOS-derived NO is the major molecule involved in neuronal damage mechanism in our in vitro model of Chagas' disease neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Megale de Almeida-Leite
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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