Zinc: Phenotypic characterization of T lymphocytes and regulatory T cells during pregnancy of Wistar rats infected with Y strain of Trypanosoma cruzi

Author(s)

Cássia Mariana Bronzon da Costa

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2017-05-11

Examining board members

Ana Amelia Carraro Abrahão; Thiago Mattar Cunha; Vanessa Carregaro Pereira

• Advisor: Ana Amelia Carraro Abrahão; Jose Clovis do Prado Junior

Abstract

Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis is a zoonotic disease, transmitted by the feces of the triatomine insect, belonging to the Reduviidae family, Triatominae subfamily. It is estimated that 8 million people worldwide are infected with T. cruzi and 25 million people are under risk of infection. During pregnancy, an increased demand for zinc is observed, reason why pregnant women are more likely to have a deficit in this micronutrient. Zinc is a trace element which plays an essential function during growth, development, cellular differentiation and immune response. Thus, the goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of zinc on the activation of different compartments of the immune system in pregnant Wistar rats infected with T. cruzi Y strain. Four experimental groups were used: infected pregnant without treatment (PI) and infected pregnant treated with zinc sulfate (PIZ), pregnant controls without treatment (PC), pregnant controls treated with zinc sulfate (PCZ). Females from infected group were mated 30 days post infection and treatment with zinc (20mg/kg/day) was performed for 18 days. Animals were euthanized on the 18th day of pregnancy (48th day of infection). The following parameters were evaluated: macrophages subsets, nitrite production and RT1B (MHC II) expression in the peritoneal exudate; Lymphocyte proliferation (CFSE), apoptotic profile (annexin V and propidium iodide), phenotype expression of CD161+ lymphocytes, CD3+ CD161+, TCD3+ CD4+, TCD3+ CD8+, CD11a+, CD28+, CD11b/c+, CD45RA, TCD3+ CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3high regulatory T cells, CD62L/CD44high memory profile. Intracellular cytokines produced by splenic lymphocytes (IL-4, IL-10, IFN-?, TNF-? and MCP- 1 chemokine), serum cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL- 10, IL-12, IL-17, TGF-?, INF-? and TNF-?), plasma corticosterone, serum zinc, and molecular analysis of fixed samples (heart, placenta and fetuses) for detection of T. cruzi genomic DNA. Our results demonstrated that zinc treatment increased nitrite concentrations and RT1B expression in macrophages. On the other hand, there was a decrease in splenocytes proliferation and in the percentage of apoptosis. Furthermore, zinc therapy decreased the percentage of NKT+, TCD4+, TCD8+ and Treg cells. Besides, zinc treatment decreases TNF-? and IFN-? and increase IL-17 and TGF-? production. Indeed, our results demonstrated that actually zinc exerts a modulatory role on the different immune responses as well as cellular subsets from T. cruzi infected and pregnant rats. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/04205-6 - Zinc: phenotypic characterization of T lymphocytes, and Treg cells during pregnancy in wistar rats infected with the Y strain Trypanosoma cruzi
• Grantee: Cássia Mariana Bronzon da Costa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate