Levels of circulating anti-muscarinic and anti-adrenergic antibodies and their effect on cardiac arrhythmias and dysautonomia in murine models of Chagas disease

Parasitology. 2014 Nov;141(13):1769-78. doi: 10.1017/S0031182014001097. Epub 2014 Aug 5.

Abstract

SUMMARY Antibodies (Ab) recognizing G-protein coupled receptors, such as β 1 and β 2 adrenergic (anti-β 1-AR and anti-β 2-AR, respectively) and muscarinic cholinergic receptors (anti-M2-CR) may contribute to cardiac damage, however their role in chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy is still controversial. We describe that Trypanosoma cruzi-infected C3H/He mice show increased P and QRS wave duration, and PR and QTc intervals, while the most significant ECG alterations in C57BL/6 are prolonged P wave and PR interval. Echocardiogram analyses show right ventricle dilation in infected animals of both mouse lineages. Analyses of heart rate variability (HRV) in chronically infected C3H/He mice show no alteration of the evaluated parameters, while C57BL/6 infected mice display significantly lower values of HRV components, suggesting autonomic dysfunction. The time-course analysis of anti-β 1-AR, anti-β 2-AR and anti-M2-CR Ab titres in C3H/He infected mice indicate that anti-β 1-AR Ab are detected only in the chronic phase, while anti-β 2-AR and anti-M2-CR are observed in the acute phase, diminish at 60 dpi and increase again in the chronic phase. Chronically infected C57BL/6 mice presented a significant increase in only anti-M2-CR Ab titres. Furthermore, anti-β 1-AR, anti-β 2-AR and anti-M2-CR, exhibit significantly higher prevalence in chronically T. cruzi-infected C3H/He mice when compared with C57BL/6. These observations suggest that T. cruzi infection leads to host-specific cardiac electric alterations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic Antagonists / blood*
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood*
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / physiopathology*
  • Chagas Cardiomyopathy / parasitology
  • Chagas Cardiomyopathy / physiopathology
  • Chagas Disease / physiopathology*
  • Cholinergic Agents / blood*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Primary Dysautonomias / physiopathology*
  • Receptor, Muscarinic M2 / metabolism
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 / metabolism
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / physiology*

Substances

  • Adrenergic Antagonists
  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Cholinergic Agents
  • Receptor, Muscarinic M2
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1