title: Reorganization of extracellular matrix in placentas from women with asymptomatic chagas disease: mechanism of parasite invasion or local placental defense?
abstract: Chagas disease, produced by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), is one of the most frequent endemic diseases in Latin America. In spite the fact that in the past few years T. cruzi congenital transmission has become of epidemiological importance, studies about this mechanism of infection are scarce. In order to explore some morphological aspects of this infection in the placenta, we analyzed placentas from T. cruzi-infected mothers by immunohistochemical and histochemical methods. Infection in mothers, newborns, and placentas was confirmed by PCR and by immunofluorescence in the placenta. T. cruzi-infected placentas present destruction of the syncytiotrophoblast and villous stroma, selective disorganization of the basal lamina, and disorganization of collagen I in villous stroma. Our results suggest that the parasite induces reorganization of this tissue component and in this way may regulate both inflammatory and immune responses in the host. Changes in the ECM of placental tissues, together with the immunological status of mother and fetus, and parasite load may determine the probability of congenital transmission of T. cruzi.
authors: Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Región Metropolitana, 1027 Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Duaso
authors: Erika
authors: E
authors: Yanez
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Castillo
authors: Norbel
authors: N
authors: Galanti
authors: Gonzalo
authors: G
authors: Cabrera
authors: Gabriela
authors: G
authors: Corral
authors: Juan Diego
authors: JD
authors: Maya
authors: Inés
authors: I
authors: Zulantay
authors: Werner
authors: W
authors: Apt
authors: Ulrike
authors: U
authors: Kemmerling