Detection of alpha-macroglobulin in the heart of mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi

The aim of this work was to investigate the presence of alpha-macroglobulin (AM) in the heart of mice during acute experimental Chagas' disease and to study its localization as related to the presence of the parasite and/or to their antigens. Frozen heart tissue sections obtained from Swiss alb...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Parasitology research (1987) 1999-04, Vol.85 (4), p.249-255
Main Authors: COUTINHO, C. M. L. M, VAN LEUVEN, F, ARAUJO-JORGE, T. C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
alpha-Macroglobulins - analysis
alpha-Macroglobulins - metabolism
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Chagas Cardiomyopathy - metabolism
Chagas Cardiomyopathy - parasitology
Chagas Cardiomyopathy - pathology
Experimental protozoal diseases and models
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Heart - parasitology
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Mice
Myocardium - chemistry
Myocardium - pathology
Parasitic diseases
Protozoal diseases
Trypanosoma cruzi - isolation & purification
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Summary:The aim of this work was to investigate the presence of alpha-macroglobulin (AM) in the heart of mice during acute experimental Chagas' disease and to study its localization as related to the presence of the parasite and/or to their antigens. Frozen heart tissue sections obtained from Swiss albino male mice at different days postinfection with Trypanosoma cruzi were examined for triple immunofluorescence in response to parasite antigen (green), AM (red), and nuclei (blue) from both cells. AM was found in the heart of all the infected animals studied. Parasites were seen arranged in nests inside heart muscle cells. Usually, AM staining corresponded in position to parasite nests and to their antigens spread in large areas of the myocardium. The most intense staining of AM was observed at days 9 and 11 postinfection, when the highest tissue-infection level occurs. These observations relate the presence of AM to that of T. cruzi antigen in the same areas of the inflamed myocardium of the chagasic animals.
ISSN:0932-0113
1432-1955
DOI:10.1007/s004360050543