Trypanosoma cruzi: productive infection is not allowed by chorionic villous explant from normal human placenta in vitro

• Published in: Experimental parasitology 2004-11, Vol.108 (3), p.176-181
• Main Authors: Luján, C. Díaz, Triquell, M.F., Sembaj, A., Guerrero, C.E., Fretes, R.E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cercopithecus aethiops; Chagas Disease - transmission; Chagas’ disease; Chorionic villi; Chorionic Villi - parasitology; Coculture Techniques; Congenital transmission; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Kinetoplastid protozoan; Life cycle. Host-agent relationship. Pathogenesis; Mice; Microscopy, Electron; Placenta; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Pregnancy; Protozoa; Tissue Culture Techniques; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma cruzi - physiology; Trypanosoma cruzi - ultrastructure; Vero Cells
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2004.07.013

We hypothesize that a sustained infection of Trypanosoma cruzi into placental tissue might be diminished. Human placental chorionic villi and VERO cells as controls were co-cultured with T. cruzi. Parasites occupied 0.0137% at 3 h, 0.0224% (24 h), and 0.0572% (72 h) of the total chorionic villi area analyzed and some few placental samples were negative to parasite DNA, whereas 52% of VERO cells were infected at 3 h and parasites occupied 0.57%, at 24 h the parasite area was of 2.78% and at 72 h was of 3.32%. There were no live parasites in placenta— T. cruzi culture media at 72 h of co-culture. There were significantly increased dead parasites when T. cruzi was treated with unheated culture media coming from placental explants and fewer dead parasites when pre-heated culture media were employed. Low productive infection by T. cruzi into placental tissue associated with no viable parasites in the culture media partially due to placental thermo labile substances.