Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Promotes Vascular Remodeling and Coexpression of α‑Smooth Muscle Actin and Macrophage Markers in Cells of the Aorta

VOLPINI, XIMENA; NATALI, LAUTARO; BRUGO, MARIA BELEN; BENJAMIN DE LA CRUZ-THEA ; BAIGORRI, ELIANA; CERBAN, FABIO; FOZZATTI LAURA; MOTRAN, CLAUDIA CRISTINA; MUSRI, MELINA

ACS Infectious Diseases

ACS publications

Año: 2022

hagas disease is an emerging global health problem; however, it remains neglected. Increased aortic stiffness (IAS), a predictor of cardiovascular events, has recently been reported in asymptomatic chronic Chagas patients. After vascular injury, smooth muscle cells (SMCs) can undergo alterations associated with phenotypic switch and transdifferentiation, promoting vascular remodeling and IAS. By studying different mouse aortic segments, we tested the hypothesis that Trypanosoma cruzi infection promotes vascular remodeling. Interestingly, the thoracic aorta was the most affected by the infection. Decreased expression of SMC markers and increased expression of proliferative markers were observed in the arteries of acutely infected mice. In acutely and chronically infected mice, we observed cells coexpressing SMC and macrophage (Mo) markers in the media and adventitia layers of the aorta, indicating that T. cruzi might induce cellular processes associated with SMC transdifferentiation in