Open AccessT rypanosoma cruzi: in vivo evaluation of iron in skin employing X ‐ray fluorescence ( XRF ) in mouse strains that differ in their susceptibility to infection
Author(s) -
Estevam Marcelo,
Appoloni Carlos Roberto,
Malvezi Aparecida Donizette,
Tatakihara Vera Lúcia Hideko,
Panis Carolina,
Cecchini Rubens,
Rizzo Luiz Vicente,
PingeFilho Phileno
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2011.00917.x
Subject(s) - trypanosoma cruzi , chagas disease , biology , oxidative stress , host (biology) , microbiology and biotechnology , parasitemia , immunology , parasite hosting , plasmodium falciparum , genetics , malaria , biochemistry , world wide web , computer science
T rypanosoma cruzi , the causative agent of C hagas’ disease ( CD ), is a substantial public health concern in L atin A merica. Laboratory mice inoculated with T . cruzi have served as important animal models of acute CD . Host hypoferremic responses occur during T . cruzi infection; therefore, it has been hypothesized that T . cruzi requires iron for optimal growth in host cells and, unlike extracellular pathogens, may benefit from host hypoferremic responses. Recent technological improvements of X ‐ray fluorescence are useful for diagnostics or monitoring in biomedical applications. The goal of our study was to determine whether the iron availabilities in S wiss and C 57 BL /6 mice differ during the acute phase of T . cruzi infection and whether the availability correlates with oxidative stress in the susceptible and resistant phenotypes identified in these mice. Our results showed that the decrease in iron levels in the skin of resistant infected mice correlated with the increase in oxidative stress associated with anemia and the reduction in parasite burden.