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Updated: Apr 16, 2026
Immunometabolic Circuits in Infection for Advancing Host Directed Therapies
Published on: September 13, 2024
Interleukin-10 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha serum levels in chronic Chagas disease patients
R H T Vasconcelos1, E de A N Azevedo1, G T N Diniz2
1Departamento de Imunologia, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Pernambuco, Brazil.
Insights
Interleukin-10 levels are higher in asymptomatic Chagas disease patients, especially those without heart enlargement. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha is also elevated in cardiac patients, indicating their role in Chagas disease cardiomyopathy.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
Background:
- Chagas disease presents diverse clinical outcomes, influenced by the host immune response.
- Cytokine profiles in chronic Chagas disease are inconsistently reported, necessitating further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare serum levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in asymptomatic and cardiac Chagas disease patients.
- To elucidate the role of IL-10 and TNF-α in the immunopathology of chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples were collected from patients with asymptomatic and cardiac forms of Chagas disease.
- Quantification of IL-10 and TNF-α levels was performed using immunoassay techniques.
Main Results:
- Serum IL-10 levels were significantly higher in cardiac Chagas disease patients compared to asymptomatic individuals, particularly those without cardiac enlargement.
- While overall TNF-α levels did not differ significantly between groups, cardiac patients, especially those with heart dilatation, exhibited elevated levels of this cytokine.
Conclusions:
- IL-10 and TNF-α are implicated in the development and progression of chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy.
- Further research on cytokine patterns is crucial for understanding Chagas disease immunopathology and developing targeted therapies.
Abstract:
In Chagas disease, chronically infected individuals may be asymptomatic or may present cardiac or digestive complications, and it is well known that the human immune response is related to different clinical manifestations. Different patterns of cytokine levels have been previously described in different clinical forms of this disease, but contradictory results are reported. Our aim was to evaluate the serum levels of interleukin-10 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha in patients with asymptomatic and cardiac Chagas disease. The serum interleukin-10 levels in patients with cardiomyopathy were higher than those in asymptomatic patients, mainly in those without heart enlargement. Although no significant difference was observed in serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels among the patients, we found that cardiac patients also present high levels of this cytokine, largely those with heart dilatation. Therefore, these cytokines play an important role in chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy. Follow-up investigations of these and other cytokines in patients with chronic Chagas disease need to be conducted to improve the understanding of the immunopathology of this disease.
