Full length articleHepatic injury associated with Trypanosoma cruzi infection is attenuated by treatment with 15-deoxy-Δ12,14 prostaglandin J2

•15dPGJ2 reduces inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver.•15dPGJ2 restores the GOT/GPT ratio to normal.•15dPGJ2 inhibits the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators in the liver.•15dPGJ2 reduces the expression of pro-fibrotic cytokines in the liver.

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, causes an intense inflammatory response in several tissues, including the liver. Since this organ is central to metabolism, its infection may be reflected in the outcome of the disease. 15-deoxy-Δ12,14 prostaglandin J2 (15dPGJ2), a natural agonist of peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) γ, has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects in the heart upon T. cruzi infection. However, its role in the restoration of liver function and reduction of liver inflammation has not been studied yet.BALB/c mice were infected with T. cruzi. The effects of in vivo treatment with 15dPGJ2 on liver inflammation and fibrosis, as well as on the GOT/GPT ratio were studied and the role of NF-κB pathway on 15dPGJ2-mediated effects was analysed.15dPGJ2 reduced liver inflammatory infiltrates, proinflammatory enzymes and cytokines expression, restored the De Ritis ratio values to normal, reduced the deposits of interstitial and perisinusoidal collagen, reduced the expression of the pro-fibrotic cytokines and inhibited the translocation of the p65 NF-κB subunit to the nucleus.Thus, we showed that 15dPGJ2 is able to significantly reduce the inflammatory response and fibrosis and reduced enzyme markers of liver damage in mice infected with T. cruzi.

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