Defects of mtDNA Replication Impaired Mitochondrial Biogenesis During <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> Infection in Human Cardiomyocytes and Chagasic Patients: The Role of Nrf1/2 and Antioxidant Response

Abstract

The replication of mtDNA was severely compromised, resulting in a significant loss of mtDNA and expression of OXPHOS genes in T cruzi-infected cardiomyocytes and chagasic hearts. Our data suggest increased ROS generation and selective functional incapacity of NRF2-mediated antioxidant gene expression played a role in the defects in mtDNA replication and unfitness of mtDNA for replication and gene expression in Chagas disease.