Cardiac noradrenalin in relation to protein malnutrition in chronic experimental Chagas' disease in the rat.
Rats inoculated with Trypanosoma cruzi were divided into two groups maintained, respectively, on a low and a rich protein diet. Ninety-eight days after inoculation the cardiac levels of noradrenalin in the well-nourished infected rats were not different from those of uninfected controls. In the malnourished group, however, these levels were around 50% of the control values. In addition, the adrenergic nerve terminals were clearly reduced in the auricular appendages of 87.5% of the malnourished infected rats. These results indicate that protein deficiency at least delays the recovery of noradrenalin levels that normally occurs during the chronic phase of experimental Chagas' disease.
D000320:Adrenergic Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D009929:Organ Size; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats
D004044:Dietary Proteins; D009638:Norepinephrine