apyrase and Chagas-Cardiomyopathy

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), is the fourth most important tropical disease, which affects approximately 7 million people worldwide. The mechanisms involved in the development of this disease are not completely well understood. An important protective role of regulatory T cells (Treg) in Chagas disease has been observed; however, the specific mechanisms remain unclear. We evaluated apoptosis as a possible mechanism mediated by Treg cells (CD4. Patients with Chagas disease were grouped as the indeterminate (IND; asymptomatic patients with Chagas disease; n = 10) and dilated cardiomyopathy (CARD; n = 10). Healthy T. cruzi-negative individuals (NI; n = 10) were included as a control group. In order to evaluate the apoptotic cell profile, the expression of PD1, PD1L, CD39, CD95, CD95L molecules were investigated. We also evaluated the proportion of CD14. Our data indicate that the expressions of different molecules that induce apoptosis are associated with suppressive mechanisms mediated by Treg cells and suggest a possible role for PD1 and PDL1 molecules in the morbidity of chronic Chagas disease.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Antigens, Protozoan; Apoptosis; Apyrase; B7-H1 Antigen; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated; CD4 Antigens; Chagas Cardiomyopathy; Female; Forkhead Transcription Factors; Humans; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; Male; Middle Aged; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; Serologic Tests; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Trypanosoma cruzi