Cardiomyocyte dysfunction during the chronic phase of Chagas disease.

Chagas disease, which is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important cause of heart failure. We investigated modifications in the cellular electrophysiological and calcium-handling characteristics of an infected mouse heart during the chronic phase of the disease. The patch-clamp technique was used to record action potentials (APs) and L-type Ca2+ and transient outward K+ currents.

Novel insights into the development of chagasic cardiomyopathy: role of PI3Kinase/NO axis.

Background: Chagas' disease is one of the leading causes of heart failure in Latin American countries. Despite its great social impact, there is no direct evidence in the literature explaining the development of heart failure in Chagas' disease. Therefore, the main objective of the study was to investigate the development of the Chagas' disease towards its chronic phase and correlate with modifications in the cellular electrophysiological characteristics of the infected heart.

Chronic exercise partially restores the transmural heterogeneity of action potential duration in left ventricular myocytes of spontaneous hypertensive rats.

Hypertension leads to electrophysiological changes in the heart. Chronic exercise induced by a treadmill-running programme (TRP) is considered a potential non-pharmacological treatment for hypertension and may have implications in heart remodelling. However, it is not known whether the TRP is able to improve the electrophysiological properties of the heart in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

Investigation of the cardiomyocyte dysfunction in bradykinin type 2 receptor knockout mice.

Aims: Bradykinin type 2 receptor (B(2)R) is the key component to trigger the intracellular signaling pathway in response to bradykinin under physiological conditions. The present study sought to investigate whether the B(2)R gene deletion will have an impact on myocardial function.

Main Methods: Isolated cell shortening, patch-clamp technique, Western blot and confocal microscopy.

Morphine peripheral analgesia depends on activation of the PI3Kgamma/AKT/nNOS/NO/KATP signaling pathway.

Morphine is one of the most prescribed and effective drugs used for the treatment of acute and chronic pain conditions. In addition to its central effects, morphine can also produce peripheral analgesia. However, the mechanisms underlying this peripheral action of morphine have not yet been fully elucidated.

Changes in cellular contractility and cytokines profile during Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice.

Trypanosoma cruzi, an intracellular protozoan parasite infecting a wide variety of vertebrates, is the agent responsible for Chagas' disease. This pathology often results in severe inflammatory heart condition and it is one of the major causes of dilated cardiomyopathy leading to heart failure in Latin America. Nevertheless, little is known about the changes in isolate cardiac myocytes contractility during the development of this pathology.