title: Cardiomyocyte dysfunction during the chronic phase of Chagas disease.
abstract: Chagas disease, which is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important cause of heart failure. We investigated modifications in the cellular electrophysiological and calcium-handling characteristics of an infected mouse heart during the chronic phase of the disease. The patch-clamp technique was used to record action potentials (APs) and L-type Ca2+ and transient outward K+ currents. [Ca2+]i changes were determined using confocal microscopy. Infected ventricular cells showed prolonged APs, reduced transient outward K+ and L-type Ca2+ currents and reduced Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Thus, the chronic phase of Chagas disease is characterised by cardiomyocyte dysfunction, which could lead to heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Membranas Excitáveis e Biologia Cardiovascular, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. drcbio@gmail.com
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roman-Campos
authors.forename: Policarpo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sales-Júnior
authors.forename: Hugo Leonardo
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Eneas Ricardo
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guatimosim
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ropert
authors.forename: Ricardo Tostes
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Gazzinelli
authors.forename: Jader Santos
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cruz
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology*; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger