Trypanosoma cruzi: plasma corticosterone after repetitive stress during the acute phase of infection.
Exp Parasitol
; 117(4): 405-10, 2007 Dec.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-17644090
ABSTRACT
An increased level of plasma corticosterone is one manifestation of severe environmental or physiologic stress. The stress response mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is already known to suppress immunoglobulin production and to impair immune function, but there are few studies relating stress and plasma corticosterone to the outcome of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. In this study, male Wistar rats were infected with the Y strain of T. cruzi and then subjected to repetitive stress by exposure to ether vapor for 1min twice a day during the acute phase of infection. Stressed animals showed decreased lytic antibody activity and lowered levels of peritoneal macrophages. Despite an increase in the weight of the spleen, histological analyses demonstrated tissue alterations, the presence of amastigote nests, and a complete absence of activated lymphoid follicles. These results suggest that stress-induced increases in plasma corticosterone can suppress the immune response and worsen tissue injury during the acute phase of T. cruzi infection.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Estresse Fisiológico
/
Corticosterona
/
Doença de Chagas
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2007
Tipo de documento:
Article