title: Effect of zinc supplementation in pregnant mice during experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection.
abstract: Zinc is an essential micronutrient and has significant effects on human growth, development, and immune function. Zinc supplementation or deficiency may affect the course of infection. Zinc enhances immune response against a wide range of viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens. In the present study, we investigated the effects of zinc sulphate (ZnSO(4)) supplementation (20mg/kg/day) during pregnancy in mice, Swiss Webster strain infected by the Y strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. Oral supplementation of zinc sulphate in pregnant and non-pregnant infected animals did not affect the count of blood parasites as well as tissue parasitism in the heart, liver, and spleen. Zinc supplementation did not alter female body weight, the length of fetuses and neonates, placental size/weight and mortality rate. Among zinc supplied animals, no significant plasmatic zinc concentrations were observed. Concerning to tissue zinc concentrations, only the liver displayed enhanced values as compared to other organs. For placental parasitism, zinc supplied group displayed a significant decrease in amastigote burdens (P<0.05). However due to the reduced number of parasite burdens in placenta of animals supplied with zinc, these data suggest that zinc was partially effective in up-regulating the host's immune response against parasite, probably attenuating the infection in fetuses.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, CEP 13083-970 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. jfgneto@fcfrp.usp.br
authors.forename: Janaína Fernanda
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gonçalves-Neto
authors.forename: Míriam Paula
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Alonso Toldo
authors.forename: Carla Domingues
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: José Clóvis
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: do Prado Júnior
authors.forename: Colete
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Sérgio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D018512:Parasitemia; D011247:Pregnancy; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc