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Moderate Physical Exercise Protects Myenteric Metabolically More Active Neurons in Mice Infected with Trypanosoma cruzi

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Abstract

Background

Trypanosoma cruzi causes neuronal myenteric depopulation compromising intestinal function.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of moderate physical exercise on NADH diaphorase (NADH-d)-positive neurons in the myenteric plexus and intestinal wall of the colon in mice infected with T. cruzi.

Materials and Methods

Forty 30-day-old male Swiss mice were divided into the following groups: trained infected (TI), sedentary infected (SI), trained control (TC), and sedentary control. The TC and TI groups were subjected to a moderate physical exercise program on a treadmill for 8 weeks. Three days after finishing physical exercise, the TI and SI groups were intraperitoneally inoculated with 1,300 blood trypomastigotes of the Y strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. Parasitemia was evaluated from days 4 to 61 after inoculation. On day 75 of infection, myenteric neurons in the colon were quantified (NADH-d), and inflammatory foci were counted. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) levels were evaluated in plasma. The results were compared using analysis of variance and the Kruskal–Wallis test at a 5 % significance level.

Results

Moderate physical exercise reduced the parasite peak on day 8 of infection (p = 0.0132) and total parasitemia (p = 0.0307). It also prevented neuronal depopulation (p < 0.01), caused hypertrophy of these cells (p < 0.05), prevented the formation of inflammatory foci (p < 0.01), and increased the synthesis of TNF-α (p < 0.01) and TGF-β (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

These results reinforce the therapeutic benefits of moderate physical exercise for T. cruzi infection.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and the Araucaria Foundation of Paraná for financial support.

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Health Sciences, State University of Maringa, Columbus Avenue, 5790, Zone 07, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil

    Neide Martins Moreira

  2. Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Maringa, Columbus Avenue, 5790, Zone 07, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil

    Solange Marta Franzói de Moraes

  3. Department of Basic Health Sciences-Immunology, University of Maringa, Columbus Avenue, 5790, Zone 07, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil

    M. M. O. Dalálio

  4. Department of Immunology-Parasitology, University of Maringa, Columbus Avenue, 5790, Zone 07, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil

    Mônica Lúcia Gomes & Silvana Marques de Araújo

  5. Graduate Program in Applied Biosciences Pharmacy, Department of Morphological Sciences, State University of Maringa, Columbus Avenue, 5790, Zone 07, Maringá, PR, 08020-900, Brazil

    D. M. G. Sant’Ana

Authors
  1. Neide Martins Moreira
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  2. Solange Marta Franzói de Moraes
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  3. M. M. O. Dalálio
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  4. Mônica Lúcia Gomes
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  5. D. M. G. Sant’Ana
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  6. Silvana Marques de Araújo
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Neide Martins Moreira or Silvana Marques de Araújo.

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Moreira, N.M., de Moraes, S.M.F., Dalálio, M.M.O. et al. Moderate Physical Exercise Protects Myenteric Metabolically More Active Neurons in Mice Infected with Trypanosoma cruzi . Dig Dis Sci 59, 307–314 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-013-2901-9

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