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Cell-mediated immune response in megacolon from patients with chronic chagas' disease

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Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

PURPOSE: The mechanisms that control chronic infectionin vivo and the immunologic mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of chagasic megacolon are not completely characterized. Although autoimmunity may play a role in the pathogenesis of Chagas' disease, recent studies, both in mice and in humans, suggest a positive association of tissue parasitism, inflammation, and severity of lesions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of inflammatory cells and the subclasses of lyphocytes involved in neuropathic lesions in the colon of patients who underwent resection for advanced megacolon. METHODS: Specimens from 23 patients were selected based on histopathologic analysis. Paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were sectioned and evaluated by immunohistochemistry for cluster of differentiation 3, cluster of differentiation 8, cluster of differentiation 20, and natural killer cell antibodies by an avidin-biotin peroxidase method. RESULTS: Almost all myenteric plexuses were damaged, characterized by degenerative changes, necrosis of ganglion cells, and inflammatory response. Mild lymphocytic infiltration around degenerated and normal ganglion cells was observed in all cases. Collagen fibers and mononuclear cells surrounded some ganglion cells. Most of the inflammatory cells were lymphocytes, identified as cluster of differentiation 3-positive cells. Cluster of differentiation 8-positive lymphocytes were associated with degenerated ganglion cells. Natural killer cell antibodies were detected in a lower proportion of cells and were distributed between muscle layers or in proximity to the myenteric plexus. All these findings were also observed in the submucosal plexus. Cluster of differentiation 20-positive lymphocytes were not present in muscle layers or in the vicinity of either plexus. CONCLUSION: Pathogenesis of the megacolon is based on a continuous process of ganglion cell damage with participation of T lymphocytes expressing cluster of differentiation 8 and natural killer cell membrane antigens. B lymphocytes do not take part in the chronic inflammatory reaction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology and Laboratory of Infectious Disease Pathology, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil

    Ulysses Ribeiro Jr. M.D., Ph.D., Angelita Habr-Gama M.D., Ph.D. & Joaquim Gama-Rodrigues M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, 1° andar, CEP, 01246.903, São Paulo, Brazil

    Carlos E. P. Corbett M.D., Ph.D., Maria das Graças Prianti B.S. & Masayuki Okumura M.D., Ph.D.

  3. Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, 1° andar, CEP, 01246.903, São Paulo, Brazil

    Masayuki Okumura M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Carlos E. P. Corbett M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Ulysses Ribeiro Jr. M.D., Ph.D.
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  3. Maria das Graças Prianti B.S.
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  4. Angelita Habr-Gama M.D., Ph.D.
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  5. Masayuki Okumura M.D., Ph.D.
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  6. Joaquim Gama-Rodrigues M.D., Ph.D.
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Additional information

Supported by FINEP, CNPq, and LIM/5-HCFMUSP. Presented at the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Orlando, Florida, May 16 to 19, 1999.

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Corbett, C.E.P., Ribeiro, U., Prianti, M.d.G. et al. Cell-mediated immune response in megacolon from patients with chronic chagas' disease. Dis Colon Rectum 44, 993–998 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02235488

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02235488

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