title: Quantitative and qualitative interferences of pentoxifillyne on hepatic Schistosoma mansoni granulomas: effects on extracellular matrix and eosinophil population.
abstract: Mast cells and eosinophils actively participate in tissue repair and are prominent components of Schistosoma mansoni granulomas. Since pentoxifillyne (PTX) is an immunomodulatory and antifibrotic substance, we aimed to characterize, by morphological techniques, the effect of this drug on fibrosis developed inside murine hepatic schistosomal granulomatous reaction, beyond the quantification of eosinophil and mast cell populations. The drug (1 mg/100 g animal weight) was administrated from 35 to 90 days post-infection, when the animals were killed. The intragranulomatous interstitial collagen network was analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy, the number of eosinophils and mast cells was quantified and the results were validated by t-student test. Treatment did not interfere on the granuloma evolution but caused a significant decrease in the total and involutive number of hepatic granulomas (p = 0.01 and 0.001, respectively), and in the intragranulomatous accumulation of eosinophils (p = 0.0001). Otherwise, the number of mast cells was not significantly altered (p = 0.9); however, it was positively correlated with the number of granulomatous structures (r = 0.955). In conclusion, PTX does not affect development and collagen deposition in S. mansoni murine granuloma, but decreases the intragranulomatous eosinophil accumulation possibly due to its immunomodulatory capability, interfering in cellular recruitment and/or differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 24921-590, Brasil.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arana-Pino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pelajo-Machado
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Conceição
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Takiya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000187:drug effects; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects*; D006099:Granuloma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008109:Liver Diseases, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D003094:Collagen; D010431:Pentoxifylline