Characterization of the presence and distribution of Foxp3(+) cells in chagasic patients with and without megacolon.
Patients with Chagas's disease in the chronic phase regularly present with the chagasic megacolon. This form is characterized by inflammation, neuronal destruction, and organ dilatation. Chagasic patients with megacolon always present with inflammatory process near the enteric plexuses of the colon, as previously demonstrated. The aim of this study is to characterize the presence and distribution of Foxp3(+) cells in the muscle layers and neuronal plexuses area of the colon from chagasic patients with and without megacolon. Our results demonstrated that chagasic patients without megacolon presented with an increased concentration of Foxp3(+) cells in all colon layers compared with chagasic patients with megacolon and noninfected individuals. These cells were situated mainly near the blood vessels and rarely were associated with the inflammatory foci. We believe that the presence of Foxp3(+) cells may help to control the inflammatory process through the management of lymphocyte migration and, consequently, prevent neuronal destruction and chagasic megacolon development.
da Silveira
Alexandre B M
AB
Biomedical Institut Sciences, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Brazil. alec@icbim.ufu.br
de Araújo
Fernanda Fortes
FF
Freitas
Michelle A Ribeiro
MA
Gomes
Juliana Assis Silva
JA
Chaves
Ana Thereza
AT
de Oliveira
Enio C
EC
Neto
Salustiano G
SG
Luquetti
Alejandro O
AO
da Cunha Souza
Gilmar
G
Bernardino Júnior
Roberto
R
Fujiwara
Ricardo
R
d'Avila Reis
Débora
D
Correa-Oliveira
Rodrigo
R
D000368:Aged; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008531:Megacolon / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors