Title: Endothelins Role in the Control of the Acute Phase of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection
VOLUME: 8 ISSUE: 8
Author(s):Conceicao R.S. Machado and Elizabeth R.S. Camargos
Affiliation:Departamento de Morfologia,Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Keywords:Chagas Disease, cardiomyopathy, cytokines, chemokines, nitric oxide, endothelins, endothelial dysfunction, infectious disease
Abstract: Disturbances of endothelin production or clearance contribute to the pathophysiology of several cardiovascular diseases including Chagas disease cardiomyopathy caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. In rats, endothelins contribute to control the acute phase, probably by stimulating nitric oxide production. We point out the necessity for new studies to better evaluate high levels of endothelin in the course of other infectious diseases, for which only its detrimental effects have been emphasized.
