Maternal <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> infection is associated with significant placental remodeling regardless of vertical transmission.

ABSTRACT: Chagas disease is a major protozoan infection in the Americas, causing approximately 12,000 deaths each year. It is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, and can be transmitted transplacentally, leading to congenital Chagas disease, a silent route that carries substantial risk for newborns. However, the mechanisms underlying congenital Chagas transmission are poorly understood. Here, we evaluated whether T. cruzi infection alters the placental microenvironment and systemic physiology, and whether such alterations are associated with congenital transmission. Integrating bulk RNA sequencing, proteomics, and spatial transcriptomics, we show that T. cruzi infection elicits profound molecular remodeling in both placenta and peripheral blood, regardless of transmission status. Transm

SUBMITTER: Gutierrez Guarnizo SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12871174 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature