T. cruzi infection among aged rats: Melatonin as a promising therapeutic molecule

Autor(es)

Brazao, Vania ^[1] ; Santello, Fabricia Helena ^[1] ; Colato, Rafaela Pravato ^[1] ; Prado, Jose Clovis ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Coll Pharmaceut Sci Ribeirao Preto FCFRP, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo de Revisão
• Fonte: Experimental Gerontology; v. 135, JUL 1 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Although T. cruzi was identified as the cause of Chagas disease more than 100 years ago, satisfactory treatments still do not exist, especially for chronic disease. Here we review work suggesting that melatonin could have promise as a Chagas therapeutic. Melatonin has remarkably diverse actions. It is an immunomodulator, an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, a free radical scavenger, and has antiapoptotic and anti-aging effects. The elderly (aged 60 years or more) as a group are growing faster than any other age group. Here we discuss the major effects and the mechanisms of action of melatonin on aged T. cruzi-infected rats. Melatonin's protective effects may be consequences of its cooperative antioxidant and immunomodulatory actions. Melatonin modulates oxidative damage, inducing an antioxidant response and reversing age-related thymus regression. Its protective actions could be the result of its anti-apoptotic activity, and by its counteracting the excessive production of corticosterone. This review describes our work showing that host age plays an important and variable influence on the progression of systemic T. cruzi infection and supporting the hypothesis that melatonin should be considered as a powerful therapeutic compound with multiple activities that can improve host homeostasis during experimental T. cruzi infection. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/20673-4 - Avaliação da suplementação de melatonina, licopeno e benzonidazol durante a Doença de Chagas experimental
• Beneficiário: José Clóvis do Prado Júnior
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 10/02222-2 - Potenciais ações terapêuticas da associação melatonina-meloxicam sobre a cardiomiopatia chagásica crônica em ratos Wistar infectados pela cepa Y de T. cruzi.
• Beneficiário: José Clóvis do Prado Júnior
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 15/09806-3 - Melatonina e senescência: Estudo da modulação do sistema imunológico durante a infecção experimental por Trypanosoma cruzi.
• Beneficiário: José Clóvis do Prado Júnior
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular