title: Interferon-gamma levels during the course of Trypanosoma cruzi infection of Calomys callosus (Rodentia-Cricetidae) and Swiss mice.
abstract: Serum levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were evaluated in Calomys callosus and Swiss mice during the course of infection by four strains of Trypanosoma cruzi. All strains stimulated the production of this interleukine; however, the timing of its onset and permanence varied among strains and between the two animal models. When chronically infected animals with no detectable serum IFN-gamma were challenged with the homologous strain, they produced quantities comparable with those obtained during the acute phase of infection. In C. callosus there was a correlation between H2O2 liberation by peritoneal macrophages and serum IFN-gamma levels, whereas no such correlation was found in mice. C. callosus had a higher capacity to heal histopathological lesions, whereas lesions in mice were progressive. The results obtained suggest that C. callosus develops well-adapted immune mechanisms that may be important for its role as a reservoir of T. cruzi.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vassao
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kloetzel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000469:parasitology*; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006321:Heart / Q000469:parasitology; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D018512:Parasitemia; D016897:Respiratory Burst; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide