title: DNA damage and nitric oxide synthesis in experimentally infected Balb/c mice with Trypanosoma cruzi.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate whether experimental Chagas disease in acute phase under benznidazole therapy can cause DNA damage in peripheral blood, liver, heart, and spleen cells or induce nitric oxide synthesis in spleen cells. Twenty Balb/c mice were distributed into four groups: control (non-infected animals); Trypanosoma cruzi infected; T. cruzi infected and submitted to benznidazole therapy; and only treated with benznidazole. The results obtained with the single cell gel (comet) assay showed that T. cruzi was able induce DNA damage in heart cells of both benznidazole treated or untreated infected mice. Similarly, T. cruzi infected animals showed an increase of DNA lesions in spleen cells. Regarding nitric oxide synthesis, statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in all experimental groups compared to negative control, the strongest effect observed in the T. cruzi infected group. Taken together, these results indicate that T. cruzi may increase the level of DNA damage in mice heart and spleen cells. Probably, nitric oxide plays an important role in DNA damaging whereas benznidazole was able to minimize induced T. cruzi genotoxic effects in spleen cells.
authors.affiliation: Department Health Sciences, Federal University of Sao Paulo, UNIFESP, SP, Brazil. daribeiro@unifesp.br
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Sueli A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Calvi
authors.forename: Mariele M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Picka
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Persi
authors.forename: Thaís B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Priscila K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Caetano
authors.forename: Lidiana R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Nagoshi
authors.forename: Carlos R G
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Jussara M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Daisy M F
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Salvadori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000473:pathology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004249:DNA Damage; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009593:Nitroimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D009593:Nitroimidazoles; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C009999:benzonidazole