Endocrine imbalance in human chronic Chagas´ disease

PEREZ A; SILVA-BARBOSA SD; BERBERT L; LIOI S; PELLIZZON O; GASTALDI L; PETRUCCI J; REVELLI S; BELOSCAR J; SAVINO W; BOTTASSO O

Rosario

Congreso; VIII Congreso Argentino de Protozoología y Enfermedades Parasitarias. Rosario, 2-5 Noviembre de 2008; 2008

Sociedad Argentina de Protozoología

ENDOCRINE IMBALANCE IN HUMAN CHRONIC CHAGAS DISEASE (CCD) Pérez AR1, Silva-Barbosa SD2, Berbert LR2, Lioi S3, Pellizón O3, Gastaldi L3, Petrucci J3, Revelli S1, Beloscar J3, Savino W2, Bottasso O1. 1Immunology Institute, School of Medicine UNR, Argentina; 2Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 3Cardiology Unit, Centenary Hospital of Rosario, Argentina. While mice undergoing T. cruzi infection had disturbances in the hypothalamus-pituitary axis, the impact of the infection on neuroendocrine circuits during CCD is poorly understood. Herein, we analyzed the endocrine response, mainly pituitary and adrenal hormones, in patients with CCD, presenting or not clinical manifestations. T. cruzi-serologically positive subjects of both sexes were classified as indeterminate (n=17), or cases with mild (n=13) or severe (n=13) chronic myocarditis (CM) according to X-rays and electrocardiograms. Age-matched healthy individuals were selected as controls (Co, n=20). Infected subjects showed no changes in plasma cortisol levels, but displayed decreased amounts of DHEA-s, that were correlated with the severity of the cardiac damage (overall difference p<0.02). This resulted in a higher cortisol/DHEA-s ratio in the severe group (p<0.013 vs. the other groups). While presenting gradually decreased DHEA-s levels, circulating ACTH levels in severe patients remained similar to those seen in Co. Compared with Co, growth hormone levels were markedly diminished in patients with indeterminate and mild CM (p<0.01 in both cases), in parallel to a minor -but insignificant- increase in severe group. Such alterations were not accompanied by changes in IGF-1 levels. Our results point out to an altered hormonal response during CCD, which may be related to the immune alterations observed in this disease. Further studies are required to validate decreased DHEA-s levels as a biological marker for severity of CM. Financial Support: Fundación Cs. Médicas UNR; Fiocruz & CNPq/ProSul (Brazil).