Oxidative Stress in Chagas Disease

Abstract

There is growing evidence to suggest that chagasic myocardia are exposed to sustained oxidative stress induced injuries that may contribute to disease progression. Trypanosoma cruzi invasion- and replication-mediated cellular injuries and immune-mediated cytotoxic reactions are the common source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during acute infection. Mitochondria are proposed to be the major source of ROS in chronic chagasic hearts. However, it has not been established yet, whether mitochondrial dysfunction is a causative factor in chagasic cardiomyopathy or a consequence of other pathological events. A better understanding of oxidative stress in relation to cardiac tissue damage would be useful in the evaluation of its true role in the pathogenesis of Chagas disease and other heart diseases. In this review, we discuss the evidence for increased oxidative stress in chagasic disease, with emphasis on mitochondrial abnormalities, and its role in sustaining oxidative stress in myocardium.

The benefits of using selenium in the treatment of Chagas disease: prevention of right ventricle chamber dilatation and reversion of Trypanosoma cruzi-induced acute and chronic cardiomyopathy in mice

“…Evidence has shown that oxidative stress resulting from augmentation of free radical production plays an important role in the pathogenesis of some heart diseases (Gupta et al 2009). In an experimental model of T. cruzi infection, it was reported that increased oxidative stress and antioxidant insufficiency are associated with myocardial oxidative damage and mitochondrial functional decline, findings that might be of pathological significance in Chagas disease (Wen et al 2004, Gupta et al 2009).…”

“…In an experimental model of T. cruzi infection, it was reported that increased oxidative stress and antioxidant insufficiency are associated with myocardial oxidative damage and mitochondrial functional decline, findings that might be of pathological significance in Chagas disease (Wen et al 2004, Gupta et al 2009). …”

Evaluation of antioxidant therapy in experimental Chagas disease

“…However, the increased oxidative damage can also lead to pathophysiological changes that increase in severity along with progression of the disease 3 . In this context, increasing the antioxidant potential of the host's defenses can serve as an intervention strategy for slowing down the progression of Chagas disease.…”

“…It has been suggested that T. cruzi infection increases the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by stimulating inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and chemokines, which then leads to oxidative stress in phagocytic cells 3 . ROS and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) have potential to oxidize cellular components such as proteins, lipids, and DNA, leading to morphological deterioration and ultimately cell death in some cases 4 .…”

“…Vitamin C is a highly plasmasoluble antioxidant that reduces the number of free electrons in the transition layer, and can therefore prevent biological oxidation 9,10 . Vitamin E is active in membranes and traps peroxyl radicals, thereby inhibiting lipid peroxidation reactions 3,11 . Numerous studies have shown that these antioxidants, when combined, constitute one of the most effective body defense mechanisms against oxidative stress [12][13][14][15] .…”