Intensification of acute Trypanosoma cruzi myocarditis in BALB/c mice pretreated with low doses of cyclophosphamide or gamma irradiation.
This study was carried out to examine the development of acute myocarditis in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected BALB/c mice after they were treated with low doses of cylophosphamide or gamma irradiation. It has been claimed that, in mice, such treatments temporarily interfere with the host-immune suppressor network, but cause no immunodepression. A severe extensive and diffuse acute myocarditis developed in the treated mice infected with T. cruzi, whereas a slight to moderate focal or occasionally diffuse acute myocarditis developed in control mice infected with T. cruzi. It is very likely that the transient abolition of T-suppressor activity facilitates the anti-myocardium immune response in the acute phase of experimental Chagas' disease in mice.
Silva
J S
JS
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Rossi
M A
MA
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects
D003520:Cyclophosphamide