Lymphocyte subpopulations and neutrophil function in chronic human Chagas' disease

Abstract

The absolute numbers of total leukocytes, lymphocytes. T cells, helper/inducer, suppressor/cytotoxic and B cells were decreased in the peripheral blood of patients with chronic Chagas' disease. Since antilymphocyte antibodies were present only in a minority of patients they probably cannot account for the abnormalities in lymphocyte subsets. Patient neutrophils stimulated with endotoxin-treated autologous plasma showed depressed chemotactic activity and this seems to be an intrinsic cellular defect rather than plasma inhibition. Random migration of neutrophils was normal. Reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium by endotoxin-stimulated neutrophils was also decreased. These findings further document the presence of immunosuppression in human Chagas' disease. They may be relevant to autoimmunity, defense against microorganisms and against tumor cells at least in a subset of patients with more severe abnormalities.

Differing phagocytic function of monocytes and neutrophils in Chagas' cardiopathy according to the presence or absence of congestive heart failure

“…This fact suggests that the destruction of pathogens after ingestion by phagocytes was not compromised in the patients examined with or without heart failure. On the contrary to the present findings, Voltarelli et al 50 observed a tendency for diminished percent of NBT reduction in chagasic patients with cardiac disease without heart failure or with digestive form of the disease. These results apparently conflict with ours, and may be related to different clinical aspects or stages of evolution of Chagas' cardiopathy in the subjects in each study.…”

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in chronic chagasic patients, and in the rural and urban population from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…The caloric-proteic malnutrition often found in patients with the digestive form of Chagas disease is the most frequent cause of secondary immunodeficiency, compromising both the specific and the non-specific compartments of the immune response 36 . In chronic chagasic patients, several immunological changes have been described such as leukopenia, depressed chemotactic activity of neutrophils and lymphopenia 35 , which could lead to an increased susceptibility to H. pylori infection in these individuals. In addition, at least in children, malnutrition also can produce hypochlorhydria, and this state may predispose to H. pylori infection 5 .…”

Involvement of neutrophils in Chagas disease pathology

“…Nevertheless, Voltarelli and collaborators demonstrated that neutrophils from patients with CD exhibit less chemotactic capacity, as well as lower efficiency to produce reactive oxygen species. 28 The largest amount of cellular infiltrate in the myocardium of CD patients is lymphocytes, especially CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. However, in a lesser but still important amount, macrophages, eosinophils and neutrophils are found.…”

“…In addition, when stimulated by the amastigote form of T cruzi , neutrophils are capable of causing destruction of cardiac cells and may cause the death of trypomastigote forms of T cruzi by antibody‐dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity, reinforcing the observations found in histological samples from CD patients. Nevertheless, Voltarelli and collaborators demonstrated that neutrophils from patients with CD exhibit less chemotactic capacity, as well as lower efficiency to produce reactive oxygen species …”