Leptin role in a model of susceptibility/resistance of acute Chagas disease

MANARIN ROMINA, DESCHUTTER VERÓNICA, BONANTINI ANA PAULA, FERNANDEZ-BUSSY RODRIGO, GONZÁLEZ FLORENCIA, VILLAR SILVINA, PEREZ ANA ROSA, BOTTASSO OSCAR.

Lima

Congreso; ALAI 2012; 2012

IUIS

Leptin is a pleiotropic molecule mainly produced by adipocytes that regulates energy balance through specific hypothalamic receptors (ObR) and also the response immune-endocrinemetabolic. Previously we showed that C57BL/6 (B6) and BALB/c mice differ in their susceptibility to Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc) infection: B6 are more susceptible, with severe weight loss and high levels of TNF-alpha whereas BALB/c mice show an ameliorated disease. To clarify the leptin role in the regulation of immune-metabolic functions during acute Tc infection in our models a possible association between leptin and ObR expression and certain immune-metabolic disturbances occurring together with disease outcome was analyzed. Despite differences in lethality B6 and BALB/c mice showed a significant decrease of adiposity index, adipocyte size and food intake, hypoglycemia and hypercholesterolemia. Strikingly, serum leptin levels decreased significantly (90%) with disease evolution in both strains in parallel to a significant increase in relative TNF-alpha expression in fat (2-delta-delta CT, B6:41, BALB/c:11). In terms of hypothalamic ObR expression, BALB/c showed a better regulation while B6 failed to upregulate their expression despite minimum leptin levels. Although leptin may have a role in the intricate framework of physiopathologic disorders it does not seem to be involved in the differential disease resolution.