Does L-arginine availability during the early pregnancy alters the immune response of Trypanosoma cruzi infected and pregnant Wistar rats?
Chagas disease induces a strong immune response and L-arginine is an essential amino acid which plays an important role in homeostasis of the immune system. The aims of this study were to evaluate parasitemia, corticosterone levels, production of nitric oxide (NO), fetal morphological measurements, and histology of heart and placenta. Twenty pregnant Wistar rats (180-220 g) were grouped in: pregnant control (PC), pregnant control and L-arginine supplied (PCA), pregnant infected (PI), pregnant infected and L-arginine supplied (PIA). Females were infected with 1×10(5) trypomastigotes of the Y strain (3rd day of pregnancy). Animals were supplied with 21 mg of L-arginine/kg/day during 14 days. PIA showed significant decreased levels of corticosterone and parasitemia. For control groups, any alteration in NO production was found with L-arginine supplementation; for PIA, enhanced nitrite concentrations were observed as compared to PI. Weights and lengths of fetuses were higher in L-arginine treated and infected pregnant rats as compared to untreated ones. Placental weight from the PIA group was significantly increased when compared to PI. In L-arginine treated animals, cardiac tissue showed reduced amastigote burdens. PIA and PI displayed similar placental parasitism. Based on these results, L-arginine supplementation may be potentially useful for the protection against Trypanosoma cruzi during pregnancy.
Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: marianabronzon@fcfrp.usp.com.
Cássia Mariana Bronzon
CM
da Costa
Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
Murilo Rodrigues Barbosa
MR
de Freitas
Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
Vânia
V
Brazão
Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
Carla Domingues
CD
dos Santos
Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
Miguel Angel
MA
Sala
Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
José Clovis
JC
do Prado Júnior
Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
Ana Amélia Carraro
AA
Abrahão
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000196:embryology / Q000276:immunology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005333:Fetus / Q000469:parasitology; D006321:Heart / Q000469:parasitology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000276:immunology; D010920:Placenta / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000276:immunology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D003345:Corticosterone
Chagas disease; Pregnancy; Trypanosoma cruzi; l-Arginine