Trypanosoma cruzi infection and endothelin-1 cooperatively activate pathogenic inflammatory pathways in cardiomyocytes.

Autor: Ricardo S Corral, Néstor A Guerrero, Henar Cuervo, Núria Gironès, Manuel Fresno
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2013
Předmět:
Zdroj: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 7, Iss 2, p e2034 (2013)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1935-2727
1935-2735
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002034
Popis: Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease, induces multiple responses in the heart, a critical organ of infection and pathology in the host. Among diverse factors, eicosanoids and the vasoactive peptide endothelin-1 (ET-1) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy. In the present study, we found that T. cruzi infection in mice induces myocardial gene expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox2) and thromboxane synthase (Tbxas1) as well as endothelin-1 (Edn1) and atrial natriuretic peptide (Nppa). T. cruzi infection and ET-1 cooperatively activated the Ca(2+)/calcineurin (Cn)/nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signaling pathway in atrial myocytes, leading to COX-2 protein expression and increased eicosanoid (prostaglandins E(2) and F(2α), thromboxane A(2)) release. Moreover, T. cruzi infection of ET-1-stimulated cardiomyocytes resulted in significantly enhanced production of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a prognostic marker for impairment in cardiac function of chagasic patients. Our findings support an important role for the Ca(2+)/Cn/NFAT cascade in T. cruzi-mediated myocardial production of inflammatory mediators and may help define novel therapeutic targets.
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