Open AccessDiabetes mellitus increases the susceptibility to encephalitozoonosis in mice
Author(s) -
Aldo Francisco Alves Neto,
P.R.D. Rocha,
Elizabeth Christina Perez,
José Guilherme Xavier,
Giovani Bravin Peres,
Diva Denelle Spadacci-Morena,
Anuska Marcelino Alvares-Saraiva,
Maria Anete Lallo
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0186954
Subject(s) - immunology , immunosuppression , encephalitozoon cuniculi , immune system , diabetes mellitus , microsporidiosis , cd8 , cytokine , biology , medicine , endocrinology , microbiology and biotechnology , microsporidia , protozoal disease , spore , malaria
Microsporidiosis are diseases caused by opportunistic intracellular fungi in immunosuppressed individuals, as well as in transplanted patients, the elderly and children, among others. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia and decreased T cell response, neutrophil function, humoral immunity failure, increasing the susceptibility to infections. Here, we investigated the susceptibility of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type I diabetic and/or immunosuppressed mice to encephalitozoonosis by Encephalitozoon cuniculi . Microscopically, granulomatous hepatitis, interstitial pneumonia and pielonephritis were observed in all infected groups. STZ treatment induced an immunossupressor effect in the populations of B (B-1 and B2) and CD4 + T lymphocytes. Moreover, infection decreased CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes and macrophages of DM mice. Furthermore, infection induced a significant increase of IL-6 and TNF-α cytokine serum levels in DM mice. IFN-γ, the most important cytokine for the resolution of encephalitozoonosis, increased only in infected mice. In addition to the decreased immune response, DM mice were more susceptible to encephalitozoonosis, associated with increased fungal burden, and symptoms. Additionally, cyclophosphamide immunosuppression in DM mice further increased the susceptibility to encephalitozoonosis. Thus, microsporidiosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of comorbidities in diabetics.