Publications by authors named "Azul V Pieralisi"

Chagas disease, caused by , stands as the primary cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in the Americas. Macrophages play a crucial role in the heart's response to infection. Given their functional and phenotypic adaptability, manipulating specific macrophage subsets could be vital in aiding essential cardiovascular functions including tissue repair and defense against infection.

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Chronic cardiomyopathy is one of the most relevant outcomes of Chagas disease associated with parasite persistence and exacerbated inflammatory response. Fenofibrate, a third generation fibric acid derivative and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α ligand, is involved in the regulation of inflammatory response. However, the participation of macrophages in this scenario has not been elucidated.

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Chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy (CCC) is the most important clinical manifestation of infection with () due to its frequency and effects on morbidity and mortality. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) infiltrate the tissue and differentiate into inflammatory macrophages. Advances in pathophysiology show that myeloid cell subpopulations contribute to cardiac homeostasis, emerging as possible therapeutic targets.

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Benznidazole (Bzl), the drug of choice in many countries for the treatment of Chagas disease, leads to parasite clearance in the early stages of infection and contributes to immunomodulation. In addition to its parasiticidal effect, Bzl inhibits the NF-κB pathway. In this regard, we have previously described that this occurs through IL-10/STAT3/SOCS3 pathway.

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IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that plays a significant role in the modulation of the immune response in many pathological conditions, including infectious diseases. Infection with (), the etiological agent of Chagas disease, results in an ongoing inflammatory response that may cause heart dysfunction, ultimately leading to heart failure. Given its infectious and inflammatory nature, in this work we analyzed whether the lack of IL-10 hinders the anti-inflammatory effects of fenofibrate, a PPARα ligand, in a murine model of Chagas heart disease (CHD) using IL-10 knockout (IL-10 KO) mice.

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Chagas disease is caused by infection and represents an important public health concern in Latin America. Macrophages are one of the main infiltrating leukocytes in response to infection. Parasite persistence could trigger a sustained activation of these cells, contributing to the damage observed in this pathology, particularly in the heart.

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