Chagas Disease: Still Many Unsolved Issues

Author(s)

Alvarez, Jose M. ^[1] ; Fonseca, Raissa ^[2] ; da Silva, Henrique Borges ^[3] ; Marinho, Claudio R. F. ^[4] ; Bortoluci, Karina R. ^[5] ; Sardinha, Luiz R. ^[6] ; Epiphanio, Sabrina ^[7] ; D'Imperio Lima, Maria Regina ^[8]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo. Inst Biomed Sci

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo. Inst Biomed Sci

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo. Inst Biomed Sci

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo. Inst Biomed Sci

^[5] UNIFESP. Dept Biol Sci

^[6] Hosp Israelita Albert Einstein. BR-05652000 Sao Paulo

^[7] Univ Sao Paulo. Fac Pharmaceut Sci

^[8] Univ Sao Paulo. Inst Biomed Sci

• Document type: Review article
• Source: Mediators of Inflammation; 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, the immune effector mechanisms involved in the control of Trypanosoma cruzi, as well as the receptors participating in parasite recognition by cells of the innate immune system, have been largely described. However, the main questions on the physiopathology of Chagas disease remain unanswered: ``Why does the host immune system fail to provide sterile immunity?{''} and ``Why do only a proportion of infected individuals develop chronic pathology?{''} In this review, we describe the mechanisms proposed to explain the inability of the immune system to eradicate the parasite and the elements that allow the development of chronic heart disease. Moreover, we discuss the possibility that the inability of infected cardiomyocytes to sense intracellular T. cruzi contributes to parasite persistence in the heart and the development of chronic pathology. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/08199-0 - Study of the murine infection by Trypanosoma Cruzi clone Sylvio X10/4, a low virulence parasite
• Grantee: José Maria Álvarez Mosig
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants