Diabetes mellitus increases the susceptibility to encephalitozoonosis in mice

PLoS One. 2017 Nov 1;12(11):e0186954. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186954. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Microsporidiosis are diseases caused by opportunistic intracellular fungi in immunosuppressed individuals, as well as in transplanted patients, the elderly and children, among others. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia and decreased T cell response, neutrophil function, humoral immunity failure, increasing the susceptibility to infections. Here, we investigated the susceptibility of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type I diabetic and/or immunosuppressed mice to encephalitozoonosis by Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Microscopically, granulomatous hepatitis, interstitial pneumonia and pielonephritis were observed in all infected groups. STZ treatment induced an immunossupressor effect in the populations of B (B-1 and B2) and CD4+ T lymphocytes. Moreover, infection decreased CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and macrophages of DM mice. Furthermore, infection induced a significant increase of IL-6 and TNF-α cytokine serum levels in DM mice. IFN-γ, the most important cytokine for the resolution of encephalitozoonosis, increased only in infected mice. In addition to the decreased immune response, DM mice were more susceptible to encephalitozoonosis, associated with increased fungal burden, and symptoms. Additionally, cyclophosphamide immunosuppression in DM mice further increased the susceptibility to encephalitozoonosis. Thus, microsporidiosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of comorbidities in diabetics.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / complications*
  • Disease Susceptibility
  • Encephalitozoonosis / complications*
  • Encephalitozoonosis / immunology
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Peritoneum / immunology
  • Spleen / immunology
  • Streptozocin

Substances

  • Streptozocin
  • Interferon-gamma

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo - FAPESP, Brazil, (Process number 2012/51727-5), to Dr Maria Anete Lallo. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.