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Angiogenesis and schistosomiasis
Andrade, Zilton A. & Santana, Thaynã Souto
Abstract
Angiogenesis has been recognised as a precursor of fibrosis in several pathologic conditions. Its participation
has been demonstrated in schistosomiasis, both during periovular granuloma formation and in the genesis of
schistosomal periportal fibrosis. Paradoxically, proliferation of new blood vessels, accompanied by production of
vascular-endothelial growth factor, appeared prominent during fibrosis regression months after curative treatment
of schistosomiasis. Thus, angiogenesis in schistosomiasis seems to have a two-way mode of action, participating
both in fibrogenesis and in fibrosis degradation. Morphological observations presented here are in keeping with the
possibility that, in the first case, angiogenesis allows pericytes to come in great numbers to the site of lesions and
be detached from capillary walls and transformed into myofibroblasts, which are important extra-cellular matrix
forming cells. During post-curative fibrosis regression, actin-containing pericytes appeared at various foci of tissue
remodelling, especially at sites of repair of vascular lesions. The molecular and cell factors involved in both
situations seem to be important subjects in need of further investigations and the schistosomiasis model certainly will be
of great avail in this regard.
Keywords
Schistosoma mansoni - angiogenesis - hepatic fibrosis - pericytes - remodelling
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