title: Selenium supplementation at low doses contributes to the decrease in heart damage in experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection.
abstract: Chagasic patients with cardiomyopathy have low levels of selenium (Se), a fundamental trace element. We evaluated the effect of supplementing infected mice with Se (0.25-16 ppm). Supplementation with 0.25 or 1 ppm Se led to parasitaemia and survival curves similar to those of the control group. Mice treated with 4-16 ppm showed a dose-dependent decrease of parasitaemia, significant for the highest concentration. This was probably due to a direct effect on the parasites, which were lysed after in vitro incubation with Se. Survival rates did not change significantly; however, heart damage was reduced in infected mice supplemented with 4 ppm Se, as indicated by a lower cardiac isoform of creatine kinase levels. Our results imply that Se supplementation does not lead to a general protection during infection, but may help protect the heart from inflammatory damage. The effect of Se supplementation in the course of T. cruzi infection depends on the host-parasite pair employed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Departamento de Ultra-estrutura e Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréa P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Gabriel Melo
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanderpas
authors.forename: Solange L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: Tania C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Araújo-Jorge
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D012643:Selenium