Characterization of enteroglial cells and denervation process in chagasic patients with and without megaesophagus

• Published in: Human pathology Vol. 41; no. 4; pp. 528 - 534
• Main Authors: Nascimento, Rodolfo Duarte, de Souza Lisboa, André, Fujiwara, Ricardo Toshio, de Freitas, Michelle Aparecida Ribeiro, Adad, Sheila Jorge, Oliveira, Rodrigo Correa, d'Ávila Reis, Débora, da Silveira, Alexandre Barcelos Morais, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.04.2010; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Chagas disease; Chagas Disease - complications; Chagas Disease - pathology; Chagas Disease - physiopathology; Chagasic megaesophagus; Cytotoxicity; Disease; Enteric Nervous System - pathology; Esophageal Achalasia - complications; Esophageal Achalasia - pathology; Esophageal Achalasia - physiopathology; Esophagitis - immunology; Esophagitis - pathology; Esophagus - immunology; Esophagus - innervation; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - metabolism; Human protozoal diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neuroglia - pathology; Parasitic diseases; Pathology; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Process controls; Proteins; Protozoal diseases; S-100, GFAP, PGP 9.5; S100 Proteins - metabolism; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosomiasis; Latin America; Chagas disease; Chagasic megaesophagus; S-100, GFAP, PGP 9.5; Human; Protozoal disease; Esophageal disease; Parasitosis; Infection; Characterization; Anatomic pathology; Protein gene product 9.5; Digestive diseases; Megaesophagus; Trypanosomiasis; Cell; Denervation
• ISSN: 0046-8177; 1532-8392
• DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2009.05.018

Summary Chagas disease is caused by infestation with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi , and some patients who are serologically positive develop chronic megaesophagus, whereas others are symptom-free. Gastrointestinal form of Chagas disease involves an inflammatory invasion of the enteric plexuses and degeneration of enteric neurons and previous works related that enteroglial cells would be involved in enteric inflammatory responses. Because of this, the aims of this study were to determine the relation of enteroglial cells with the denervation process in chagasic patients with and without megaesophagus and seronegative individuals. Our results indicated that the innervation of the esophageal muscle was substantially reduced in patients with megaesophagus, but asymptomatic seropositive subjects were not different to seronegative controls. Besides, patients with megaesophagus had significant decreased of enteroglial cells labeled with S-100 and glial fibrillary acidic protein, whereas patients without megaesophagus presented an increased of both labels. We believe that enteroglial cells would operate a mechanism of defense in the enteric nervous system against the Trypanosoma cruzi infection, which could prevent the organ denervation and preserve the esophagus function.