Background

Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and is endemic of the Americas. The control of the disease is restricted to toxic and potentially teratogenic drugs, which limit the use during pregnancy. The use of food supplementation offers a safe and low-cost form to alleviate Chagas disease symptoms, mostly in areas with alimentary risk. For example, zinc demonstrates positive effects in immune response, including in Chagas disease during pregnancy.

Purpose

This study describes the innate response in pregnant rats chronically infected with T. cruzi and supplemented with zinc.

Methods

Pregnant female Wistar rats, infected with T. cruzi, were treated with 20 mg/kg/day zinc sulfate and euthanized on the 18th day. Samples (plasma, splenocytes, and peritoneal exudate) were collected and several immune parameters (nitric oxide, RT1B, CD80/CD86, MCP-1, CD11b/c, NK/NKT, IL-2, IL-10, INF-cc, and apoptosis) evaluated.

Results

Under Zinc supplementation and/or T. cruzi infection, the gestation developed normally. Several innate immune parameters such as RT1B, CD80/CD86, MCP-1 expressing lymphocytes, IL-2, and IL-17 were positively altered, whereas nitric oxide, CD11b/c, NK/NKT, apoptosis, INF-γ, and corticosterone demonstrated a pro-pregnancy pattern.

Conclusion

Our results indicated that zinc has diverse effects on immune response during pregnancy. An anti-T. cruzi immunity, as well as a pro-gestation response, were observed after zinc supplementation. The complete comprehension of zinc supplementation in pregnancy will base an adequate strategy to alleviate Chagas disease symptoms and propagation, especially for populations from endemic areas.

中文翻译：

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补锌：南美锥虫病慢性阶段的免疫平衡。

背景

南美锥虫病或美洲锥虫病是由原生动物克鲁斯锥虫引起的，是美洲的地方病。该病的控制仅限于有毒和可能致畸的药物，这限制了怀孕期间的使用。食品补充剂的使用提供了一种安全且低成本的形式来缓解恰加斯病的症状，主要是在有饮食风险的地区。例如，锌对免疫反应具有积极作用，包括怀孕期间的恰加斯病。

目的

这项研究描述了慢性感染了克鲁氏锥虫并补充锌的怀孕大鼠的先天反应。

方法

感染了克鲁氏锥虫的雌性Wistar雌性大鼠用20 mg / kg /天的硫酸锌处理，并在第18天安乐死。收集样品（血浆，脾细胞和腹膜渗出液），并获得一些免疫参数（一氧化氮，RT1B，CD80 / CD86，MCP-1，CD11b / c，NK / NKT，IL-2，IL-10，INF-cc，和凋亡）进行评估。

结果

在补充锌和/或克氏锥虫感染下，妊娠正常发育。几个固有的免疫参数，例如RT1B，CD80 / CD86，表达MCP-1的淋巴细胞，IL-2和IL-17发生了正向改变，而一氧化氮，CD11b / c，NK / NKT，细胞凋亡，INF-γ和皮质酮表现出孕前模式。

结论

我们的结果表明锌对怀孕期间的免疫反应具有多种作用。补充锌后，观察到了抗克氏锥虫的免疫力和妊娠反应。妊娠期对补锌的全面理解将为缓解南美锥虫病的症状和传播提供适当的策略，特别是对于流行地区的人群。