title: Melatonin and zinc treatment: distinctive modulation of cytokine production in chronic experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection.
abstract: Melatonin by exhibiting antioxidant, anti-aging, and immunomodulatory properties favorably modulate the immune function, protecting the hosts from several infectious diseases. Zinc is an essential trace element important for the efficiency of the immune system in reason of its widespread role in the activity of enzymes, transcription factors and cytokines. The etiology of Chagas' disease, caused by a protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, has been the focus of considerable discussion, although chronic phase still remains not fully understood. This study showed that zinc and melatonin treatment did not affect the percentage of both CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes subsets in chronically infected animals. Increased levels of IL-2 and IL-10, as well as, enhanced thymocyte proliferation in T. cruzi infected groups under zinc and melatonin therapy was observed as compared to untreated group. Conversely, during the chronic phase of infection, macrophages counts were reduced in melatonin and zinc-melatonin treated animals. The combined actions of zinc and melatonin have beneficial effects in counteracting parasite-induced immune dysregulation, protecting animals against the harmful actions of chronic T. cruzi infection. Furthermore, our results provide an experimental basis for further studies on the role of immunomodulatory therapies.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP), University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. vbrazao@fcfrp.usp.br
authors.forename: Vânia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brazão
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Vecchio Filipin
authors.forename: Fabricia Helena
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Santello
authors.forename: Leony Cristina
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Caetano
authors.forename: Ana Amélia Carraro
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abrahão
authors.forename: Míriam Paula Alonso
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Toldo
authors.forename: José Clóvis
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: do Prado
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D002452:Cell Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060168:Thymocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D003208:Concanavalin A; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015032:Zinc; D008550:Melatonin