Expression of cytokines and chemokines and microvasculature alterations of the tongue from patients with chronic Chagas' disease

Parasitol Res. 2009 Oct;105(4):1031-9. doi: 10.1007/s00436-009-1513-y. Epub 2009 Jun 10.

Abstract

Chagas' disease is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and continues to be a significant public health problem, since 10 million people are still infected in Latin America. The purpose of this study was to analyze the microvasculature alterations as well the expression of cytokines and chemokines in the tongues from patients with chronic Chagas' disease (CC; n = 18), comparatively with a non-chagasic group (NC; n = 22). We observed several vascular alterations in the tongue of CC such as a greater vascular diameter, increased vascular wall area, high density of the blood vessels, and increased thickening of the capillary basement membrane. The expression of cytokines interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha and chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha were significantly down-regulated in the tongue of CC group. These results demonstrated that, in the tongue of chagasic patients, a microvascular abnormality and immunological impairment occurs, probably due to chronic inflammation evoked by T. cruzi antigens.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Chagas Disease / pathology*
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis*
  • Down-Regulation*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Latin America
  • Male
  • Microvessels / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Tongue / pathology*
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / immunology*

Substances

  • Cytokines