Open AccessCytokines and inflammatory mediators: Markers involved in interstitial damage to the pancreas in two dengue fever cases associated with acute pancreatitis
Author(s) -
Felipe de Andrade Vieira Alves,
Lucca de Lima Siqueira Oliveira,
Natália Gedeão Salomão,
David William Provance,
Carlos Alberto Basílio-de-Oliveira,
Rodrigo Basílio-de-Oliveira,
Leandro Junqueira Moragas,
Jorge José de Carvalho,
Ronaldo MohanaBorges,
Kíssila Rabelo,
Marciano Viana Paes
Publication year - 2022
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.0262785
Subject(s) - coxsackievirus , pancreatitis , pathology , cd68 , pancreas , proinflammatory cytokine , biology , dengue virus , acute pancreatitis , inflammation , medicine , dengue fever , immunology , immunohistochemistry , virus , enterovirus
Dengue viral (DENV) infections can lead to acute pancreatitis and associated tissue damage. This study examined the pancreas from two fatal cases of DENV for histopathological changes as well as for the detection of cytokines, and other inflammatory mediators. Tissue sections were prepared for examination by ultrastructural and histopathological techniques. Sections from the pancreas of non-infected individuals were prepared in parallel as a control. The presence of viral replication in macrophages was detected by co-staining for the proteins NS3 and CD68 by immunofluorescence. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect cells that expressed cytokines and inflammatory mediators to characterize the inflammatory response. Edema, acinar necrosis and fibrosis areas associated with a mononuclear infiltrate were found in infected tissues. The major site of virus replication appeared to be macrophages based on their exclusive presentation of the viral protein NS3. Pancreatic tissues from the infected individuals also displayed increased levels of high mobility group box-1, caspase-3, gelatinase B and tumor necrosis factor alpha compared to controls. The presence of virus replicating macrophages in the pancreas was associated with multiple changes in tissue structure that included elevated levels of cytokines and inflammatory markers that may differentiate acute pancreatitis due to DENV infections from other causes.