title: Role of autoantibodies in the physiopathology of Chagas' disease.
abstract: Chagas' disease is a serious health problem in Latin America. Between 25 to 30% of the infected patients develop the chronic form of the disease, with progressive myocardial damage and often, sudden death. Adrenergic or cholinergic antibodies with G-protein coupled membrane receptor activity may be present in the sera of these patients. The present study discusses the etiology and the contribution of antibodies to the physiopathology of Chagas' disease.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil. emedei70@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Emiliano Horacio
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Medei
authors.forename: José Hamilton Matheus
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Roberto Coury
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Pedrosa
authors.forename: Antônio Carlos Campos de
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000276:immunology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D001323:Autoantibodies; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic