title: Vitamin D overload and experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection: parasitological and histopathological aspects.
abstract: 1. Six groups of 45-day-old, 23.0 +/- 1.7 g, female Balb/c mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with 63, 252, 440, 630, 2520 or 6300 I.U. of vitamin D for 6 days. A seventh group was inoculated with saline. Each group consisted of 30 animals. 2. All animals inoculated with the doses of 2520 and 6300 and 70% of mice which received 630 I.U. of vitamin D died 21 days after the first administration of the vitamin. The LD50 was 630 I.U. 3. The survivors were divided into two groups inoculated intraperitoneally with 5000 trypomastigotes of either Y or CL strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. 4. Based on the survival index on day 73 after infection, Vitamin D gave statistically significant protection (P < 0.01) for mice inoculated with doses of 63 or 430 I.U. of Y or CL strains, respectively. 5. On histopathological examination, inflammatory reaction and cellular and tissue parasitism were less intense in animals which received higher doses of vitamin D. 6. It is concluded that an overload of vitamin D had a protective effect against CL and Y strains of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Balb/c mice.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Nicoli
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bambirra
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Vieira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D