TY - JOUR
T1 - The benefits of using selenium in the treatment of Chagas disease
T2 - Prevention of right ventricle chamber dilatation and reversion of Trypanosoma cruzi-induced acute and chronic cardiomyopathy in mice
AU - de Souza, Andréa P.
AU - Jelicks, Linda A.
AU - Tanowitz, Herbert B.
AU - Olivieri, Bianca P.
AU - Medeiros, Monica M.
AU - Oliveira, Gabriel M.
AU - Pires, Andrea Rodrigues Cordovil
AU - Dos Santos, Alessandro M.
AU - Araújo-Jorge, Tania C.
PY - 2010/9
Y1 - 2010/9
N2 - Cardiac damage is a frequent manifestation of Chagas disease, which is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient, the deficiency of which has been implicated in the development of cardiomyopathy. Our group has previously demonstrated that Se supplementation prevents myocardial damage during acute T. cruzi infection in mice. In this study, we analyzed the effect of Se treatment in cases of T. cruzi infection using prevention and reversion schemes. In the Se prevention scheme, mice were given Se supplements (2 ppm) starting two weeks prior to inoculation with T. cruzi (Brazil strain) and continuing until 120 days post-infection (dpi). In the Se reversion scheme, mice were treated with Se (4 ppm) for 100 days, starting at 160 dpi. Dilatation of the right ventricle was observed in the infected control group at both phases of T. cruzi infection, but it was not observed in the infected group that received Se treatment. Surviving infected mice that were submitted to the Se reversion scheme presented normal P wave values and reduced inflammation of the pericardium. These data indicate that Se treatment prevents right ventricular chamber increase and thus can be proposed as an adjuvant therapy for cardiac alterations already established by T. cruzi infection.
AB - Cardiac damage is a frequent manifestation of Chagas disease, which is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient, the deficiency of which has been implicated in the development of cardiomyopathy. Our group has previously demonstrated that Se supplementation prevents myocardial damage during acute T. cruzi infection in mice. In this study, we analyzed the effect of Se treatment in cases of T. cruzi infection using prevention and reversion schemes. In the Se prevention scheme, mice were given Se supplements (2 ppm) starting two weeks prior to inoculation with T. cruzi (Brazil strain) and continuing until 120 days post-infection (dpi). In the Se reversion scheme, mice were treated with Se (4 ppm) for 100 days, starting at 160 dpi. Dilatation of the right ventricle was observed in the infected control group at both phases of T. cruzi infection, but it was not observed in the infected group that received Se treatment. Surviving infected mice that were submitted to the Se reversion scheme presented normal P wave values and reduced inflammation of the pericardium. These data indicate that Se treatment prevents right ventricular chamber increase and thus can be proposed as an adjuvant therapy for cardiac alterations already established by T. cruzi infection.
KW - Cardiomyopathy
KW - Chagas disease
KW - Selenium
KW - Trypanosoma cruzi
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77957994397&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77957994397&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1590/s0074-02762010000600003
DO - 10.1590/s0074-02762010000600003
M3 - Article
C2 - 20944987
AN - SCOPUS:77957994397
SN - 0074-0276
VL - 105
SP - 746
EP - 751
JO - Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
JF - Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
IS - 6
ER -