Pathogenesis of the apical aneurysm in experimental Trypanosoma cruzi cardiomyopathy in BALB/c mice

Autoimmunity in Chagas' disease: specific inhibition of reactivity of CD4+ T cells against myosin in mice chronically infected with Trypanosoma cruzi

“…Infection protocol. BALB/c mice were infected with T. cruzi as detailed previously (15). Briefly, mice were intraperitoneally injected with 107 washed Albuquerque epimastigotes; this was repeated twice at 2-week intervals.…”

A modified and unifying neurogenic hypothesis can explain the natural history of chronic Chagas heart disease

“…Clinical, parasitological and histopathological studies showed that segmental myocardial damage (i.e., apical aneurysm) develops at this very early stage in the natural history of Chagas disease [39 -41]. Moreover, it has been known for some time that thinning of the left ventricular apex with aneurysm formation can be acutely provoked in laboratory animals by subcutaneous administration of isoproterenol [42] and by reinoculations with the parasite [43]. Therefore, although these aneurysms are commonly found in patients who are in the indeterminate phase [44,45], left ventricular apical aneurysms should no longer be considered as a late consequence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection [39][40][41].…”

A heart‐specific CD4+ T‐cell line obtained from a chronic chagasic mouse induces carditis in heart‐immunized mice and rejection of normal heart transplants in the absence of Trypanosoma cruzi

“…However, the very rare finding of tissue parasites strongly argues against this hypothesis (3). Second, microvascular abnormalities have been postulated to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of chronic Chagas' heart disease (7,8). Third, many studies indicate that autoimmune mechanisms play a critical role in the physiopathology of Chagas' chronic cardiopathy (9–11).…”