Histologic and histomorphometric study of bone repair under acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection in rats

Steimetz, Tammy; Gorustovich, Alejandro A; Collet, Ana M; Sanchez Negrette, Olga; Segura, María A; Basombrío, Miguel A; Guglielmotti, María B.

Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) is an intracellular protozoan pathogen that causes American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). The aim of this study was to evaluate the histopathological effects of acute infection by T. cruzi on bone repair. Wistar rats were used throughout.

The animals were assigned to two groups:

Control Group (CG n =20) and Experimental Group (EG n =20). All the animals were anesthetized, at t0 the first lower right molar was extracted. The EG animals were inoculated subcutaneously at t0 with 0.1 mL of 105 trypomastigotes of the virulent strain Tulahuen of T. cruzi. The CG animals were administered an equivalent volume of saline solution subcutaneously. The animals in both groups were euthanized at 15 days post-infection and tooth extraction. The mandibles were resected, fixed in formalin solution, radiographed, decalcified and embedded in paraffin. Bucco-lingually oriented sections were obtained at the level of the mesial tooth socket of the first lower molar, and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Total alveolar volume (TV) and bone volume (TBV/TV) in the apical third of the tooth socket were evaluated histomorphometrically. The histological analysis revealed an alteration in post-extraction bone tissue repair in animals infected by T. cruzi. A reduction in osteogenic activity was observed concomitant with a rise in quiescent and eroded bone surfaces. Histomorphometric evaluation revealed a significant reduction (19%) in total alveolar volume (TV) and bone volume (TBV/TV) (24%) in the apical third of the tooth socket in animals infected with T. cruzi in comparison to non-infected animals (p<0.05). The results obtained using this experimental model showed decreased osteogenesis in bone tissue repair under acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection in rats.

El Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) es un protozoario intracelular que causa Trypanosomoniasis Americana (Enfermedad de Chagas). El objetivo del presente trabajo fue el estudio histopatologico del efecto de la infeccion aguda por Trypanosoma cruzi sobre la reparacion del tejido oseo.

Se utilizaron ratas Wistar macho que fueron asignadas a dos grupos:

Grupo Control (GC n =20) y Grupo Experimental (GE n =20). Los animales de ambos grupos, bajo anestesia general intraperitoneal, fueron sometidos a t0, a exodoncia del primer molar inferior derecho, en el GE fueron inoculados,a t0 por via subcutanea en la region inguinal izquierda con 0.1 mL de 105 tripomastigotes de la cepa virulenta Tulahuen de Trypanosoma cruzi. A los animales del GC se les administro el volumen equivalente de solucion salina por via subcutanea. A los animales de ambos grupos se les practico la eutanasia a los 15 dias. Se resecaron las mandibulas, se fijaron en solucion de formol al 10%, se radiografiaron, se descalcificaron y se incluyeron en parafina. Se obtuvieron cortes orientados en sentido vestibulo-lingual a nivel del alveolo mesial del primer molar inferior derecho y se colorearon con hematoxilina-eosina para su posterior estudio histologico e histomorfometrico. Histologicamente se observo una menor actividad osteogenica a expensas de un incremento de las superficies quiescentes y de las superficies erosivas en el GE. En la evaluacion histomorfometrica se detecto disminucion estadiasticamente significativa del volumen oseo total (19%) y del volumen trabecular en el tercio apical del alveolo (24%) en el GE con respecto al GC (p<0.05). Los resultados obtenidos en este modelo experimental evidencian una disminucion de la osteogenesis en la reparacion osea en ratas con infeccion aguda por Trypanosoma cruzi.