title: Low doses of simvastatin therapy ameliorate cardiac inflammatory remodeling in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected dogs.
abstract: Chagas cardiomyopathy remodeling is based on the presence of Trypanosoma cruzi in heart tissue and on the complex inflammatory response leading to a myocardium fibrosis and alterations in conductive and functional heart parameters. This study aims to evaluate Simvastatin on the inflammatory response and heart functionality using dogs infected with Y strain of T. cruzi. Animals were treated daily with Simvastatin (20 mg) for 6 months and submitted to clinical and immunopathological evaluations. Simvastatin reduced heart expression and serum levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) but not interleukin-10 (IL-10), possibly favoring blood parasitism but reducing inflammation and fibrosis in the left ventricle and right atrium. Simvastatin also ameliorated ejection fraction, diastolic diameter, and mass index of the left ventricle 6 months after infection. This study suggests that more investigation should be performed on the use of statins as a prophylactic therapy against cardiac remodeling because of their effects on modifying immune response and benefiting functional parameters in dogs with T. cruzi-induced ventricular dysfunctions.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil. lilianmel@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Ivo Santana
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Caldas
authors.forename: Maíra Araújo
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Karolina Ribeiro
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Alvaro Fernando
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: da Silva do Nascimento
authors.forename: Vivian Paulino
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Lívia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Figueiredo Diniz
authors.forename: Wanderson Geraldo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Rosália Moraes
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Maria Terezinha
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bahia
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talvani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019821:Simvastatin