Adipokine alteration in patients with progressive forms of chronic Chagas disease

FLORENCIA GONZALEZ, VILLAR SILVINA, JULIA MARQUEZ, MANARIN ROMINA, JUAN BELOSCAR, OSCAR BOTTASSO, ANA R. PÉREZ.

Los cocos- Córdoba

Congreso; LXI Reunión anual de la Sociedad Argenina de Inmunología.; 2013

Sociedad Argenina de Inmunología

We previously reported immune-endocrine and metabolic disturbances in patients with chronic Chagas disease. Althoughthe pro-inflammatory adipokine leptin is associated with the central regulation of energy metabolism, increasing evidence indicates that leptinmay bealso involved in the pathophysiology of heart failure. This issue in the context of chronic chagasic myocarditis (CCM) is poorly understood.The aim of the present study was to investigate plasma leptinlevels in T. cruzi infected individuals and their potential relation with the immune-metabolic pattern and the degree of heart involvement. Werecruited 74chagasic patients and 25 healthy individuals (Co). All subjects were evaluated by electrocardiogram and chest X-ray and were classifiedintoasymptomatic (Asy, n=24) or cardiac (Card, n=50) groups. Cardiac patients were also subclassified into mild/moderate (MM, n=25) or severe (Sev, n=25) subjects. All individuals underwent assessment of body mass index (BMI). Immune-metabolic parameters likeleptin, IL-6, insulin, glucose and DHEAsplasma levels were assessed.Leptin levels were significantly higher in Cardiacand Asyrespect to Co subjects [ng/mL; mean±SEM, Co= 29±1.3; Asy=33± 1.3 (p=0.006); Card=34±0.8 (p=0.04)], although Sev had lower values than MM [MM=37±0.9; Sev=32±1.2, p=0.005]. BMI, glucose and IL-6 were increased in Sev patients when compared to the Co group (p<0.05 in all cases) while DHEAs was diminished (p<0.001).In chagasic subjects leptin levels correlated positively with BMI (p<0.001), IL-6 (p<0.02) and insulin. In the overall population, leptin correlated negatively with DHEAs (p<0.03). Our results suggest that chronic chagasic individuals with heart involvement develop marked immune-metabolic disturbances, with leptinbeing likely to play role in CCM.