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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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Madeira RP, Meneghetti P, Lozano N, Namiyama GM, Pereira-Chioccola VL, Torrecilhas AC. Exploring Peripheral Blood-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as Biomarkers: Implications for Chronic Chagas Disease with Viral Infection or Transplantation. Microorganisms 2024; 12:116. [PMID: 38257943 PMCID: PMC10818975 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010116] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer envelopes that encapsulate cell-specific cargo, rendering them promising biomarkers for diverse diseases. Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, poses a significant global health burden, transcending its initial epicenter in Latin America to affect individuals in Europe, Asia, and North America. In this study, we aimed to characterize circulating EVs derived from patients with chronic Chagas disease (CCD) experiencing a reactivation of acute symptoms. Blood samples collected in EDTA were processed to isolate plasma and subsequently subjected to ultracentrifugation for particle isolation and purification. The EVs were characterized using a nanoparticle tracking analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our findings revealed distinctive differences in the size, concentration, and composition of EVs between immunosuppressed patients and those with CCD. Importantly, these EVs play a critical role in the pathophysiology of Chagas disease and demonstrate significant potential as biomarkers in the chronic phase of the disease. Overall, our findings support the potential utility of the CL-ELISA assay as a specific sensitive tool for detecting circulating EVs in chronic Chagasic patients, particularly those with recurrent infection following an immunosuppressive treatment or with concurrent HIV and Chagas disease. Further investigations are warranted to identify and validate the specific antigens or biomarkers responsible for the observed reactivity in these patient groups, which may have implications for diagnosis, the monitoring of treatment, and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Pedro Madeira
- Disciplina de Infectologia, Departamento de Medicina, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-900, Brazil; (R.P.M.); (N.L.)
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema 09913-030, Brazil;
| | - Paula Meneghetti
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema 09913-030, Brazil;
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-900, Brazil
| | - Nicholy Lozano
- Disciplina de Infectologia, Departamento de Medicina, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-900, Brazil; (R.P.M.); (N.L.)
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema 09913-030, Brazil;
| | - Gislene M. Namiyama
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Adolfo Lutz Institute, São Paulo 01246-900, Brazil;
| | - Vera Lucia Pereira-Chioccola
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Fungos e Parasitas, Centro de Parasitologia e Micologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo 01246-000, Brazil
| | - Ana Claudia Torrecilhas
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema 09913-030, Brazil;
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