Imbalance of steroid hormones in hamsters infected with Schistosoma mansoni

• Autor(a) principal: Oliveira, K.C.
• Data de Publicação: 2019
• Outros Autores: Cardoso, R., Santos, A.C.D., Fernandes, R., Botelho, M.C.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/6520
• topic: Schistosoma mansoni Infection; Estradiol; Host-parasite Interaction; Infertility; Progesterone; Steroid Hormones; Testosterone; Estradiol; Infertility; Testosterone; Progesterone

Objective: Schistosomiasis is a debilitating disease that affects 200 million people worldwide. Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni are the major causative agents of this disease. Cancer-association and infertility-association in Schistosoma haematobium infection have already been described and it is known that the parasite produces a catechol-estrogen molecule that induces a hormonal imbalance in the host. Methods: In order to better understand the relation of hormonal imbalance in experimental Schistosoma mansoni infection, we investigated a serum panel of steroid hormones in Schistosoma mansoni infected hamsters. Results: We found a decrease in the serum levels of Estradiol (E2), Testosterone and Progesterone in infected females and an increase of Testosterone and a decrease in Progesterone in infected males in comparison with controls. Conclusion: These results indicate that S. mansoni alters the levels of steroid hormones in infected males and females and it will increase the repertoire of data about the host-parasite molecular interplay and its relation with the endocrine system.