Immunopathology of cardiomyopathy in the experimental Chagas disease

The mechanisms by which Trypanosoma cruzi causes cardiomyopathy and induces neuronal dest ruction are discussed in this papa: The results suggest that autoimmunity in the chronic phase is the main cause of the progressive car diac destruction, and that autoreactivity is restricted to the CD4(+) T cel l compartment. During the acute phase, the neuronal and cardiac fibs destru ction occurs when ruptured parasite nests release T. cruzi antigens that bi nd to the cell surface in the vicinity which become targets for the cellula r and humoral immune response against T. cruzi. The various factors involve d in the genesis of autoimmunity in chronic T. cruzi infection include mole cular mimicry, presentation of self-antigens and imbalance of immune regula tion.