Trypanosoma cruzi infection alters glucose metabolism at rest and during exercise without modifying the morphology of pancreatic islets in rats.

• Autor(a) principal: Novaes, Rômulo Dias
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Outros Autores: Gonçalves, Reggiani Vilela, Penitente, Arlete Rita, Silva, André Talvani Pedrosa da, Neves, Clóvis Andrade, Natali, Antônio José, Maldonado, Izabel Regina dos Santos Costa
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UFOP
• Texto Completo: http://www.repositorio.ufop.br/handle/123456789/4185; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prp.2012.05.016
• topic: Chagas disease; Glucose metabolism; Pancreas; Pathology; Exercise

This study investigated the effects of Trypanosoma cruzi infection on pancreatic morphology and glucose metabolism at rest and during exercise. Wistar rats were randomized into control (CG = 10) and infected (IG = 10) groups. The IG animals were inoculated with T. cruzi Y strain (300,000 trypomastigotes/50 g). After 9 weeks, the animals were subjected to glucose (OGTT) and insulin (ITT) tolerance tests and a treadmill running protocol. Blood glucose, lactate and time to fatigue were determined. After euthanasia, the pancreases were removed for morphological and biochemical analyses. The IG presented abnormal glucose kinetics in OGTT and a similar glucose curve in ITT compared to the CG. During the exercise test, the IG showed anticipation of time to fatigue. At the point of fatigue, no difference was found in blood glucose and lactate between the groups. There was a significant correlation between lactate levels and the time to fatigue. The IG presented marked pancreatic inflammation, fibrosis and protein oxidation. The number of _ cells in the IG animals was not reduced. T. cruzi infection impaired pancreas morphology and glucose metabolism at rest and during exercise in rats, which could constitute an additional mechanism in the induction of exercise intolerance in Chagas’ disease.