Cardiac remodeling in Cavia porcellus during the acute and chronic phase of experimental infection with Trypanosoma cruzi

摘要

Background: Chagas disease, a parasite infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is one of the most important public health problems in Central and South America with 8 to 10 million people infected. Chronic Chagas heart disease (CCHD) is the main consequence of infection with this parasite and is the most important infectious heart disease in the world, with 50,000 deaths associated with the infection per year. The aim of this study was to determine the role of apoptosis and evaluate the turnover of collagen I, III and IV (CI, CIII, CIV) in cardiac tissue and their relationship with serum levels of procollagen type I carboxy-terminal propeptide (PICP) and procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide (PIIINP) during the cardiac remodeling produced by the infection with T.