title: Influence of Trypanosoma cruzi chronic infection in the depletion of esophageal neurons in Calomys callosus.
abstract: The extent of neuronal loss was studied in this work, in aged female Calomys callosus infected with the MORC-1 strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. Fifteen months after infection, one group of animals was immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide (CY). Sections of the distal esophagus were collected and stained with cresyl violet. The neuron count was significantly different among groups, with enhanced neuronal loss in the infected group in comparison with the control aged noninfected group. Partial protection against neuronal destruction was observed in animals immunosuppressed with CY. The morphometry of the neuronal body displayed significant alterations concerning area, shape coefficient, and contour index that were statistically increased for the CY-infected group. These results indicate a protective role for CY against neuronal destruction.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Toxicológicas e Bromatológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo (FCFRP-USP), Avenida do Café s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Leony Cristina
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Caetano
authors.forename: Sérgio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zucoloto
authors.forename: Laura Midori
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Kawasse
authors.forename: Miriam Paula Alonso
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Toldo
authors.forename: José Clóvis Júnior
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: do Prado
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae; D002452:Cell Count; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide