Transforming growth factor-ß as a therapeutic target for the cardiac damage of Chagas disease

Mariana Caldas Waghabi (1, 2) , Roberto Rodrigues Ferreira (1, 2) , Rayane da Silva Abreu (1, 2) , Wim Degrave (1, 2) , Elen Mello de Souza (1, 2) , Sabine Bailly (3, 4) , Jean-Jacques Feige (3, 4) , Tania C. de Araújo-Jorge (1, 2)

1 FIOCRUZ - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz / Oswaldo Cruz Foundation
2 IOC - Instituto Oswaldo Cruz = Oswaldo Cruz Institute [Rio de Janeiro]
3 UMR BioSanté - BioSanté
4 INSERM - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is deeply involved on the pathogenesis of Chagas disease. Our group has been investigating the participation of this pleiotropic cytokine in different aspects of Chagas disease over the last 20 years. Important observations have been made, such as: (i) the ability of Trypanosoma cruzi in activating latent TGF-β; (ii) the potential involvement of TGF-β pathway on T. cruzi invasion of host cells; (iii) association of TGF-β with parasite intracellular replication; (iv) cardiac fibrosis development and maintenance; (v) disruption of Connexin-43 plaque structures and (vi) inflammation and immune response. In this perspective article we intend to discuss the advances of the potential use of new therapies targeting TGF-β to treat the cardiac alterations of Chagas disease-affected patients.

Keywords: transforming growth factor beta; therapeutic; target; cardiac; damage; Chagas disease

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]

Mariana Caldas Waghabi, Roberto Rodrigues Ferreira, Rayane da Silva Abreu, Wim Degrave, Elen Mello de Souza, et al.. Transforming growth factor-ß as a therapeutic target for the cardiac damage of Chagas disease. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 2022, 117, pp.e210395. ⟨10.1590/0074-02760210395⟩. ⟨hal-03659057⟩