Article
Increased levels of cortisol are associated with the severity of experimental visceral leishmaniasis in a Leishmania (L.) infantum-hamster model
Registro en:
BARROS-GONÇALVES, Tayany de D. et al. Increased levels of cortisol are associated with the severity of experimental visceral leishmaniasis in a Leishmania (L.) infantum-hamster model. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, v. 15, n. 11, p. 1-17, 2021
1935-2735
10.1371/journal.pntd.0009987
Autor
Barros-Gonçalves, Tayany de D.
Saavedra, Andrea F.
Silva-Couto, Luzinei da
Ribeiro-Romão, Raquel P.
Bezerra-Paiva, Milla
Gomes-Silva, Adriano
Carvalho, Vinicius F.
Da-Cruz, Alda Maria
Pinto, Eduardo F.
Resumen
Background: Several infectious diseases are associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis disorders by elevating circulating glucocorticoids (GCs), which are known to have an immunosuppressive potential. We conducted this study in golden hamsters, a suitable model for human visceral leishmaniasis (VL), to investigate the relationship of Leishmania (L.) infantum infection on cortisol production and VL severity.
Methods: L. infantum-infected (n = 42) and uninfected hamsters (n = 30) were followed-up at 30, 120, and 180 days post-infection (dpi). Plasma cortisol was analyzed by radioimmunoassay and cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and arginase by RT-qPCR.
Results: All hamsters showed splenomegaly at 180 dpi. Increased parasite burden was associated with higher arginase expression and lower iNOS induction. Cortisol levels were elevated in infected animals in all-time points evaluated. Except for monocytes, all other leucocytes showed a strong negative correlation with cortisol, while transaminases were positively correlated. Immunological markers as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-10, and transforming growth-factor-β (TGF-β) were positively correlated to cortisol production, while interferon-γ (IFN-γ) presented a negative correlation. A network analysis showed cortisol as an important knot linking clinical status and immunological parameters.
Conclusions: These results suggest that L. infantum increases the systemic levels of cortisol, which showed to be associated with hematological, biochemical, and immunological parameters associated to VL severity.