Patterns of Cytokines and Soluble Cellular Receptors in the Sera of Children with Acute Chagas' Disease

Abstract

Cytokines and soluble cellular receptors are involved in inflammatory processes and probably in the pathogenesis of parasite and bacterial diseases. In a previous study, we reported increased levels of soluble receptors of interleukin-2 (sIL2-R) in children with acute Chagas' disease, one of the main parasitic infections that is endemic in Latin America. We sought to analyze the pattern of different cytokines and soluble receptors in the sera of children with chagasic infection. Children with acute and indeterminate stages of Chagas' disease, as well as nonchagasic children, were studied. Sera were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-␣), IL-6, IL-2, IL-8, IL-12, sIL-2R, and the soluble receptors of CD8 and CD4 (sCD8 and sCD4). sIL-2R and sCD8 showed the highest levels in serum in acutely infected children, decreasing after specific antiparasite therapy. Chronic children showed a pattern similar to the one of nonchagasic children. Although they were not statistically significant, TNF-␣, IL-6, and sCD4 showed a tendency to reach high levels in the acutely infected group, whereas IL-2, IL-8, and IL-12 did not reveal changes with respect to the noninfected children. In summary, we report here the patterns of cytokines and soluble receptors in in the sera of children infected with Trypanosoma cruzi; we found significantly increased levels of sIL-2R and sCD8 in acute infection that decreased after therapy, and high levels of TNF-␣, IL-6, and sCD4 in some of the acute patients.

Immunological imbalance between IFN-³ and IL-10 levels in the sera of patients with the cardiac form of Chagas disease

“…It has been suggested that chronic TNF-α production prior to heart failure may play a role in chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy progression (Ferreira et al 2003). A similar level of cytokine production in sera of acute chagasic children, compared to NI, has been described previously (Moretti et al 2002). Although the present results showed no differences between IL-10 and IFN-γ levels in CARD and IND patients, the IND patients displayed a positive correlation between inflammatory and regulatory cytokine production, indicating a controlled immune response.…”

Modulation of immune response in experimental Chagas disease

“…Taken together, these results show that vaccination with T. rangeli made it possible to induce a profile of the cytokines different from that of the non immunized-infected mice, with a delicate balance between TH1 and TH2, suitable for overcome the infection. This modulation of the synthesis and liberation of cytokines and soluble receptors was also observed during the acute period of natural human infection [41] . On the other hand, during the process of invading the host cell, T. cruzi interacts with different receptors of the macrophage to induce its own phagocytosis.…”

Trypanosoma cruzi: experimental parasitism of bone and cartilage

“…On the other hand, the changes that lead to (Dias et al 2002), there are some factors, such as the disease's enzootic nature, as well as human migrations and deforestation (Coura et al 2002), that contribute to the continuous presence of the disease, which is more frequent in children up to 14 years old. Studies to confirm the presence of the parasite in this population are more effective to determine the presence of active transmission than studies in older individuals (Añez et al 1999;Moretti et al 2002). The remarkable similarity between murine and human immune systems (Dos Reis and Lopes 2000) allows the demonstration that, with respect to the inherent parameters of the T. cruzi-mammal relationship, animal age is one of the most important parameters regarding the development of this parasitosis.…”