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EVIDENCE IN FAVOR OF AN ALTERNATIVE GLUCOCORTICOID SYNTHESIS PATHWAY DURING ACUTE EXPERIMENTAL CHAGAS DISEASE
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Institute of Clinical and Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina.
Institute of Clinical Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina.
Institute of Clinical Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina.
Institute of Clinical Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Inflamação. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tenologia em Neuroimunomodulação. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Institute of Clinical Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina.
Institute of Clincal Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNIR). Rosario, Argentina / Center for Research and Production of Biological Reagents (CIPREB). Faculty of Medical Sciences. Rosario, Argentina.
Institute of Clinical Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina / Center for Research and Productio of Biological Reagents (CIPREB). Faculty of Medical Sciences. Narional University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.
Institute of Clinical Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina.
Institute of Clinical Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina.
Institute of Clinical Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Inflamação. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tenologia em Neuroimunomodulação. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Institute of Clinical Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina.
Institute of Clincal Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNIR). Rosario, Argentina / Center for Research and Production of Biological Reagents (CIPREB). Faculty of Medical Sciences. Rosario, Argentina.
Institute of Clinical Experimental Immunology of Rosario (IDICER-CONICET-UNR). Rosario, Argentina / Center for Research and Productio of Biological Reagents (CIPREB). Faculty of Medical Sciences. Narional University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.
Abstract
It is well-established that infectious stress activates the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal
axis leading to the production of pituitary adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and adrenal
glucocorticoids (GCs). Usually, GC synthesis is mediated by protein kinase A (PKA)
signaling pathway triggered by ACTH. We previously demonstrated that acute murine
Chagas disease courses with a marked increase of GC, with some data suggesting
that GC synthesis may be ACTH-dissociated in the late phase of this parasitic infection.
Alternative pathways of GC synthesis have been reported in sepsis or mental diseases,
in which interleukin (IL)-1b, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and/or cAMP-activated guanine
nucleotide exchange factor 2 (EPAC2) are likely to play a role in this regard. Accordingly,
we have searched for the existence of an ACTH-independent pathway in an experimental
model of a major parasitic disease like Chagas disease, in addition to characterizing
potential alternative pathways of GC synthesis. To this end, C57BL/6 male mice were
infected with T. cruzi (Tc), and evaluated throughout the acute phase for several
parameters, including the kinetic of GC and ACTH release, the adrenal level of MC2R
(ACTH receptor) expression, the p-PKA/PKA ratio as ACTH-dependent mechanism of
signal transduction, as well as adrenal expression of IL-1b and its receptor, EPAC2 and
PGE2 synthase. Our results reveal the existence of two phases involved in GC synthesis
during Tc infection in mice, an initial one dealing with the well-known ACTH-dependent
pathway, followed by a further ACTH-hyporesponsive phase. Furthermore, inflamed
adrenal microenvironment may tune the production of intracellular mediators that also
operate upon GC synthesis, like PGE2 synthase and EPAC2, as emerging driving forces
for GC production in the advanced course of Tc infection. In essence, GC production
seems to be associated with a biphasic action of PGE2, suggesting that the effect of
PGE2/cAMP in the ACTH-independent second phase may be mediated by EPAC2.
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