concanavalin-a and Chagas-Cardiomyopathy

The cardiac pathology associated with infection by Trypanosoma cruzi in mice has been suggested to be partially dependent upon cytokine responses. The pathoresistant B10.D2 mice, which display little infection-induced myocarditis, and the pathopermissive DBA/2 mice, which show significant cardiac damage, were compared for their in vitro interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-4 production. Concanavalin A-stimulated spleen cells from infected B10.D2 mice produce a greater amount of IFN-gamma than DBA/2 mice, whereas the IL-4 production is only slightly greater in the B10.D2 mice than the DBA/2 mice. Parasite antigen stimulation of spleen cells from these mice results in a clearly greater IFN gamma production by the B10.D2 and a higher IL-4 level for the DBA/2 mice. The data presented suggest a relationship between an enhanced TH1-type response and decreased chronic cardiac pathogenesis, whereas a lower level of TH1 activity may play a role in cardiac involvement.

Topics: Animals; Antigens, Protozoan; Cells, Cultured; Chagas Cardiomyopathy; Chagas Disease; Concanavalin A; Disease Susceptibility; Immunity, Innate; Interferon-gamma; Interleukin-4; Mice; Mice, Inbred DBA; Mice, Inbred Strains; Parasitemia; Spleen; Th1 Cells; Th2 Cells; Trypanosoma cruzi

Topics: Animals; Antigens, Protozoan; Chagas Cardiomyopathy; Chagas Disease; Concanavalin A; Female; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Phytohemagglutinins; T-Lymphocytes; Trypanosoma cruzi

1. The ability of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from Chagas' disease patients to induce monocyte procoagulant activity (PCA) in response to concanavalin A (Con A) and to a Con A induced lymphokine was studied. 2. In spite of the variability of PCA levels among both chagasic patients and normal controls, statistical analysis of the data permitted us to draw the following general conclusions. 3. The Con A-induced monocyte PCA measured in 17 assays of 15 chagasic patients was significantly lower than the PCA response of 18 normal controls or of 11 patients with non-chagasic myocardiopathies. 4. The response of PBMC from chagasic patients to lymphokine was also lower than that observed for normal controls. 5. These results suggest that monocytes from chagasic patients are deficient for the generation of PCA which is an in vitro correlate of the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction.

Topics: Adult; Animals; Blood Coagulation; Blood Coagulation Factors; Chagas Cardiomyopathy; Chronic Disease; Concanavalin A; Female; Humans; Lymphokines; Male; Middle Aged; Monocytes; Trypanosoma cruzi