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Okojie AK, Rauf K, Iyare E. The Impact of Plasmodium Berghei Exposure In-utero on Neurobehavioral Profile in Mice. Basic Clin Neurosci 2019; 10:99-107. [PMID: 31031897 PMCID: PMC6484196 DOI: 10.32598/bcn.9.10.95] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The World Health Organization estimates that about 25 million pregnant mothers are currently at risk for malaria, and that malaria accounts for over 10,000 maternal and 200,000 neonatal deaths per year. The current hypothesis of early life programming supports the premise that many developmental delay and disorders may have their origin In-utero. Therefore, the current study aimed at evaluating the possible impact of experimental malaria exposure In-utero on neurobehavioral profile in mice offspring. Methods: Pregnant mice were intraperitoneally infected on gestational day 13 with 1.02×105 infected red blood cells. Pregnant mice (both infected and uninfected) were allowed to deliver and the offspring were monitored up to postnatal day 42 when anxiety-like, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and locomotor activity were evaluated using elevated plus maze, marble burying, and Open Field Test, respectively. Results: The current study showed that maternal infection with Plasmodium berghei resulted in an interesting behavior in offspring characterized by increased anxiety-like and OCD behaviors. Locomotor activity was however not affected. Conclusion: It may be concluded that In-utero exposure to experimental malaria in mice causes behavioral changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akhabue Keneth Okojie
- Reproductive and Developmental Programming Research Group, Department of Physiology, Enugu Campus, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria.,Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan.,Department of Physiology, Edo University Iyamho, Uzairue, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Khalid Rauf
- Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan
| | - Eghosa Iyare
- Reproductive and Developmental Programming Research Group, Department of Physiology, Enugu Campus, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
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2
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Barboza R, Hasenkamp L, Barateiro A, Murillo O, Peixoto EPM, Lima FA, Reis AS, Gonçalves LA, Epiphanio S, Marinho CRF. Fetal-Derived MyD88 Signaling Contributes to Poor Pregnancy Outcomes During Gestational Malaria. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:68. [PMID: 30761111 PMCID: PMC6362412 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Placental malaria (PM) remains a severe public health problem in areas of high malaria transmission. Despite the efforts to prevent infection poor outcomes in Plasmodium endemic areas, there is still a considerable number of preterm births and newborns with low birth weight resulting from PM. Although local inflammation triggered in response to malaria is considered crucial in inducing placental damage, little is known about the differential influence of maternal and fetal immune responses to the disease progression. Therefore, using a PM mouse model, we sought to determine the contribution of maternal and fetal innate immune responses to PM development. For this, we conducted a series of cross-breeding experiments between mice that had differential expression of the MyD88 adaptor protein to obtain mother and correspondent fetuses with distinct genetic backgrounds. By evaluating fetal weight and placental vascular spaces, we have shown that the expression of MyD88 in fetal tissue has a significant impact on PM outcomes. Our results highlighted the existence of a distinct contribution of maternal and fetal immune responses to PM onset. Thus, contributing to the understanding of how inflammatory processes lead to the dysregulation of placental homeostasis ultimately impairing fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Barboza
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil
| | - Lutero Hasenkamp
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André Barateiro
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Oscar Murillo
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Erika Paula Machado Peixoto
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flávia Afonso Lima
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Aramys Silva Reis
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lígia Antunes Gonçalves
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Epiphanio
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Claudio R F Marinho
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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3
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Toxoplasma gondii: One Organism, Multiple Models. Trends Parasitol 2016; 33:113-127. [PMID: 27988095 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2016.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Revised: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intensely studied protozoan parasite. It is also used as a model organism to research additional clinically relevant human and veterinary parasites due to ease of in vitro culture and genetic manipulation. Recently, it has been developed as a model of inflammatory bowel disease, due to their similar pathologies. However, researchers vary widely in how they use T. gondii, which makes study comparisons and interpretation difficult. The aim of this review is to provide researchers with a tool to: (i) determine the appropriateness of the different T. gondii models to their research, (ii) interpret results from the wide range of study conditions, and (iii) consider new advances in technology which could improve or refine their experimental setup.
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Fariña FA, Pasqualetti MI, Cardillo NM, Aronowicz T, Ercole M, Krivokapich SJ, Ribicich MM. [Assessment of transmammary transmission of Trichinella patagoniensis in BALB/c mice]. Rev Argent Microbiol 2016; 48:101-4. [PMID: 27091152 DOI: 10.1016/j.ram.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Revised: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Since 1916 to date, it has been suspected that vertical transmission of parasites from the genus Trichinella could occur in pregnant or lactating women during the parenteral phase of infection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the transmammary transmission of T. patagoniensis in BALB/c mice. Twenty 7-week-old BALB/c mice were distributed into two groups of 10 individuals each, depending on the time of gestation when they were infected, 15 or 18 days after detection of the vaginal plug. Each group was subdivided into two subgroups of 5 mice each, which were given an oral dose of 100 or 500 infective larvae respectively. Euthanasia and subsequent artificial digestion was performed in the pups and the dams. No T. patagoniensis L1 larvae were found in any of the offsprings analyzed. The observed results suggest that vertical transmission of T. patagoniensis would not be possible in BALB/c mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando A Fariña
- Cátedra de Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCV-UBA), CABA, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CABA, Argentina.
| | - Mariana I Pasqualetti
- Cátedra de Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCV-UBA), CABA, Argentina
| | - Natalia M Cardillo
- Cátedra de Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCV-UBA), CABA, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CABA, Argentina
| | - Tatiana Aronowicz
- Cátedra de Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCV-UBA), CABA, Argentina
| | - Mariano Ercole
- Cátedra de Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCV-UBA), CABA, Argentina
| | - Silvio J Krivokapich
- Departamento de Parasitología, INEI, ANLIS, «Dr. Carlos Malbrán», CABA, Argentina
| | - Mabel M Ribicich
- Cátedra de Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCV-UBA), CABA, Argentina
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5
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MyD88 signaling is directly involved in the development of murine placental malaria. Infect Immun 2013; 82:830-8. [PMID: 24478096 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01288-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a widespread infectious disease caused by the parasite Plasmodium. During pregnancy, malaria infection leads to a range of complications that can affect both the mother and fetus, including stillbirth, infant mortality, and low birth weight. In this study, we utilized a mouse model of placental malaria (PM) infection to determine the importance of the protein MyD88 in the host immune response to Plasmodium during pregnancy. Initially, we demonstrated that Plasmodium berghei NK65GFP adhered to placental tissue via chondroitin sulfate A and induced PM in mice with a C57BL/6 genetic background. To evaluate the involvement of MyD88 in the pathology of PM, we performed a histopathological analysis of placentas obtained from MyD88(-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice following infection on the 19th gestational day. Our data demonstrated that the detrimental placental alterations observed in the infected mice were correlated with the expression of MyD88. Moreover, in the absence of this protein, production of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was significantly reduced in the infected mice. More importantly, in contrast to fetuses from infected WT mice, which exhibited a reduction in body weight, the fetuses from infected MyD88(-/-) mice did not display significant weight loss compared to their noninfected littermates. In addition, we observed a decrement of maternal care associated with malaria infection, which was attenuated in the MyD88-deficient mice. Collectively, the results of this study illustrate the pivotal importance of the MyD88 signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of placental malaria, thus presenting new possibilities for targeting MyD88 in therapeutic interventions.
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Bayat PD, Eslamirad Z, Shojaee S. Toxoplasmosis: Experimental Vaginal Infection in NMRI Mice and Its Effect on Uterin, Placenta and Fetus Tissues. IRANIAN RED CRESCENT MEDICAL JOURNAL 2013; 15:595-9. [PMID: 24396580 PMCID: PMC3871748 DOI: 10.5812/ircmj.11427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2013] [Revised: 05/25/2013] [Accepted: 06/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Background Toxoplasma gondii is an important zoonotic pathogen. Vertical transmission of the parasite occurs when females were infected primarily during gestation. This parasite is transmitted to the fetus through the placenta and may cause miscarriage, permanent neurological damage, premature birth and visual impairment. It has been found that mouse is susceptible to Toxoplasma and is particularly an interesting model to the study of congenital infection but whether the entry of T. gondii through vagina route is involved in transmission of the parasite to the placenta and fetus or not. Objectives The current study aimed to find a route of infection which perhaps carried the parasite under natural conditions in human. Materials and Methods In the current experimental study, two 6-8 week NMRI female mice were crossed with one male. The pregnant mice were divided into 2 groups: experimental group that was infected by parasite via intra-vaginal (IV) and control group that received the same volume of normal saline via IV. One mouse from each group was killed on the fifth day after infection. The peritoneal fluid, ovary and uterus of mouse samples were taken and divided into two parts. One part used for DNA extraction and the other was kept in formalin and sent for histological study. These steps were repeated seven times and at least 10 mice in each group (case and control) were studied by molecular and histological methods. Results PCR using DNA extracted from the experimental group showed that the parasite existed in tissues of the uterus and placenta but not in the embryos and peritoneal fluid. PCR using DNA extracted from the control group was negative. Conclusions Tachyzoite of Toxoplasma and DNA of this parasite were observed in sub mucosa and muscles of the uterus and in the villis of placenta, but not in histological sections of the fetus. Therefore, histological and molecular results were consistent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parvin Dokt Bayat
- Department of Anatomy, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, IR Iran
| | - Zahra Eslamirad
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, IR Iran
- Corresponding author: Zahra Eslamirad, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, IR Iran. Tel: +98-8614173505, Fax: +98-8614173521, E-mail:
| | - Saeedeh Shojaee
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
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Lélu M, Langlais M, Poulle ML, Gilot-Fromont E, Gandon S. When should a trophically and vertically transmitted parasite manipulate its intermediate host? The case of Toxoplasma gondii. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20131143. [PMID: 23825211 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.1143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites with complex life cycles are expected to manipulate the behaviour of their intermediate hosts (IHs), which increase their predation rate and facilitate the transmission to definitive hosts (DHs). This ability, however, is a double-edged sword when the parasite can also be transmitted vertically in the IH. In this situation, as the manipulation of the IH behaviour increases the IH death rate, it conflicts with vertical transmission, which requires healthy and reproducing IHs. The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, a widespread pathogen, combines both trophic and vertical transmission strategies. Is parasite manipulation of host behaviour still adaptive in this situation? We model the evolution of the IH manipulation by T. gondii to study the conflict between these two routes of transmission under different epidemiological situations. Model outputs show that manipulation is particularly advantageous for virulent strains and in epidemic situations, and that different levels of manipulation may evolve depending on the sex of the IH and the transmission routes considered. These results may help to understand the variability of strain characteristics encountered for T. gondii and may extend to other trophically transmitted parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maud Lélu
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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8
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Freyre A, Araujo FAP, Fialho CG, Bigatti LE, Falcón JD. Protection in a hamster model of congenital toxoplasmosis. Vet Parasitol 2011; 183:359-63. [PMID: 21846582 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2011] [Revised: 07/13/2011] [Accepted: 07/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Almost uniform protection against congenital toxoplasmosis initiated by inoculations with cysts and oocysts of the parasite was seen in the hamster model, among strains of different genotypes. Because the RH immunization prior to pregnancy has to be controlled with medication for most of the hamsters to survive, and also some congenital transmission of Toxoplasma was observed during the chronic stage of the infection, the hamster is considered less practical than the rat and the BALB/c mouse models. It is concluded that the hamster model closely resembles protection against congenital infection in nature, where most of the pregnant women and ewes that experienced a toxoplasma infection previously, protect their fetuses against an infection with the parasite during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Freyre
- Laboratorio de Toxoplasmosis, Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Wang T, Liu M, Gao XJ, Zhao ZJ, Chen XG, Lun ZR. Toxoplasma gondii: the effects of infection at different stages of pregnancy on the offspring of mice. Exp Parasitol 2010; 127:107-12. [PMID: 20619261 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2010.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2010] [Revised: 06/25/2010] [Accepted: 07/01/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Congenital toxoplasmosis can cause fetal damage in humans and domestic animals. This study was focused on the effects of Toxoplasma gondii (Prugniaud strain) infection at different stages of pregnancy on the offspring of mice. Results showed that newborn mice from all infected groups were significantly lower in weight than those from the control group but significant difference was not found among these groups at day 60 after birth. The survival rate of the offspring from the group of mice infected at the earlier stage of pregnancy was significantly lower than those of infected and control groups. The positive offspring (with cysts found in their brain tissues) born from the mice infected at the earlier and intermediate stages of pregnancy showed a shorter latency and greater number of errors in the step-through passive avoidance test than those born from the mice infected at the late stage of pregnancy, the control group and the negative offspring from the infected groups. The number of cysts in the brain tissue was significantly higher in the offspring born from the groups of mice infected at the earlier and intermediate stages of pregnancy than those from the group of mice infected at the late stage of pregnancy. In addition, our results indicated that a high congenital transmission rate (90%) occurred in this NIH mouse model. In conclusion, the earlier and intermediate maternal infection of T. gondii can result in severe congenital toxoplasmosis, exhibiting conditions such as stillbirth or non-viability, and learning or memory capability damage in this mouse model. These results not only provide useful data for better understanding the effects of T. gondii infection on the offspring of mice infected at different stages of pregnancy but also for better consideration of the effect of this infection on other mammalian hosts including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Center for Parasitic Organisms, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control, The Ministry of Education, Zhongshan Medical College, Sun Yat-Sen Zhongshan University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
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Lahmar I, Guinard M, Sauer A, Marcellin L, Abdelrahman T, Roux M, Mousli M, Moussa A, Babba H, Pfaff AW, Candolfi E. Murine neonatal infection provides an efficient model for congenital ocular toxoplasmosis. Exp Parasitol 2010; 124:190-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2009.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2009] [Revised: 09/03/2009] [Accepted: 09/09/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii placental transmission in BALB/c mice model. Exp Parasitol 2009; 123:168-72. [PMID: 19563804 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2009.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2008] [Revised: 06/18/2009] [Accepted: 06/23/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infection is common worldwide and highly important to pregnant women as it can be transmitted to the fetus via the placenta. This study aimed at evaluating the prevention of placental transmission in two different strains after chronic infection with each one of the strains. A BALB/c mice model was inoculated 30days before breeding (immunization) and re-infected 12 and 15days after pregnancy (challenge). Seven experimental groups were assayed: G1: ME49-immunization (type II), M7741-challenge (type III); G2: M7741-immunization, ME49-challenge; G3, ME49-immunization; G4: M7741-immunization; G5: ME49-challenge; G6: M7741-challenge; G7: saline solution inoculation. Serology, mouse bioassay, PCR and RLFP of the uterus, placenta and fetus were performed to determine the congenital transmission of the strains challenged after chronic infection. IgG T. gondii antibodies were detected in G1, G2, G3 and G4, but not in G5, G6 and G7. All animals of G5 and G6 were IgM-positive. Congenital infection was not detected by bioassay and PCR. Nonetheless, placentas from G3 and G4 resulted positive but no corresponding fetal infection was detected. G1 and G2 did not show the genotype of the strain challenged during pregnancy, only those of chronic infection. Thus, the chronically infected BALB/c mice showed no re-infection after inoculation with another strain during pregnancy. Further studies with different parasite loads and different mice lineages are needed.
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Freyre A, Fialho C, Bigatti L, Araujo F, Falcón J, Mendez J, González M. Toxoplasma gondii: Congenital transmission in a hamster model. Exp Parasitol 2009; 122:140-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2009.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2008] [Revised: 01/28/2009] [Accepted: 02/06/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Recrudescent Plasmodium berghei from pregnant mice displays enhanced binding to the placenta and induces protection in multigravida. PLoS One 2009; 4:e5630. [PMID: 19461965 PMCID: PMC2680968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2009] [Accepted: 04/27/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) is associated with placenta pathology and poor pregnancy outcome but the mechanisms that control the malaria parasite expansion in pregnancy are still poorly understood and not amenable for study in human subjects. Here, we used a set of new tools to re-visit an experimental mouse model of pregnancy-induced malaria recrudescence, BALB/c with chronic Plasmodium berghei infection. During pregnancy 60% of the pre-exposed primiparous females showed pregnancy-induced malaria recrudescence and we demonstrated that the recrudescent P. berghei show an unexpected enhancement of the adherence to placenta tissue sections with a marked specificity for CSA. Furthermore, we showed that the intensity of parasitemia in primigravida was quantitatively correlated with the degree of thickening of the placental tissue and up-regulation of inflammation-related genes such as IL10. We also confirmed that the incidence of pregnancy-induced recrudescence, the intensity of the parasitemia peak and the impact on the pregnancy outcome decreased gradually from the first to the third pregnancy. Interestingly, placenta pathology and fetal impairment were also observed at low frequency among non-recrudescent females. Together, the data raise the hypothesis that recrudescent P. berghei displays selected specificity for the placenta tissue enabling on one hand, the triggering of the pathological process underlying PAM and on the other hand, the induction of PAM protection mechanisms that are revealed in subsequent pregnancies. Thus, by exploiting P. berghei pregnancy-induced recrudescence, this experimental system offers a mouse model to study the susceptibility to PAM and the mechanisms of disease protection in multigravida.
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Cabañas-Cortés MA, Reyes-Maldonado E, Montiel-Cervantes L, Domínguez-López ML, Jiménez-Zamudio L, García-Latorre E. Toxoplasma gondii: effect of maternal infection in the development of lymphoid organs of BALB/c neonates. Exp Parasitol 2008; 121:279-87. [PMID: 19114038 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2008.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2008] [Revised: 11/11/2008] [Accepted: 11/28/2008] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is one of the worldwide parasitic zoonoses. Alterations in the lymphopoietic system are still poorly studied. We analyzed lymphoid organs of BALB/c mice neonates from Toxoplasma gondii-intraperitoneally-infected mothers on 19th day of gestation, with 30 tachyzoites of strain RH. Normal non-infected pregnant females were used as controls. At 7 days after birth, animals were classified as neonates from infected (NIM) and neonates from non-infected mothers (NNIM). Weight of the thymus and number of thymic cells in NIM were decreased, percentage of apoptosis was significantly increased. Decrease in lymphocytes and monocytes and an increase of plasma cells were observed in bone marrow of NIM. Peripheral blood of NIM showed an increase of monocytes and neutrophils and a decrease in lymphocytes. Infection of the mother during the last day of gestation provokes in the neonates changes in the lymphoid organs that could explain survival of 75% of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Asunción Cabañas-Cortés
- Departamento de Inmunología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, IPN. Prol. Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Col. Plutarco Elías Calles Casco de Santo Tomás, CP 11340 Mexico D.F., Mexico
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Toxoplasma gondii: an improved rat model of congenital infection. Exp Parasitol 2008; 120:142-6. [PMID: 18634785 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2008.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2007] [Revised: 05/07/2008] [Accepted: 06/19/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to refine the rat model of congenital toxoplasmosis. In Fischer rats we found that visualization of spermatozoa in vaginal exudates and the detection of at least 6g body weight increase between days 9 and 12 of pregnancy, allowed the diagnosis and timing of pregnancy with 60% specificity and 84% sensitivity. A dose of 10(4) Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites or 10(2) T. gondii oocysts of the Prugniaud strain resulted in more than 50% of congenital infection of the rat litters. Transmission of T. gondii via lactation was not detected in rats inoculated with either bradyzoites or oocysts. Bioassays of 51 neonates born from mothers inoculated with bradyzoites (in tissue cysts) and 29 neonates from mothers inoculated with oocysts demonstrated that both liver and lungs can be used for the diagnosis of congenital transmission in this model.
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Pregnancy outcome and placenta pathology in Plasmodium berghei ANKA infected mice reproduce the pathogenesis of severe malaria in pregnant women. PLoS One 2008; 3:e1608. [PMID: 18270595 PMCID: PMC2229663 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2007] [Accepted: 01/18/2008] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) is expressed in a range of clinical complications that include increased disease severity in pregnant women, decreased fetal viability, intra-uterine growth retardation, low birth weight and infant mortality. The physiopathology of malaria in pregnancy is difficult to scrutinize and attempts were made in the past to use animal models for pregnancy malaria studies. Here, we describe a comprehensive mouse experimental model that recapitulates many of the pathological and clinical features typical of human severe malaria in pregnancy. We used P. berghei ANKA-GFP infection during pregnancy to evoke a prominent inflammatory response in the placenta that entails CD11b mononuclear infiltration, up-regulation of MIP-1 alpha chemokine and is associated with marked reduction of placental vascular spaces. Placenta pathology was associated with decreased fetal viability, intra-uterine growth retardation, gross post-natal growth impairment and increased disease severity in pregnant females. Moreover, we provide evidence that CSA and HA, known to mediate P. falciparum adhesion to human placenta, are also involved in mouse placental malaria infection. We propose that reduction of maternal blood flow in the placenta is a key pathogenic factor in murine pregnancy malaria and we hypothesize that exacerbated innate inflammatory responses to Plasmodium infected red blood cells trigger severe placenta pathology. This experimental model provides an opportunity to identify cell and molecular components of severe PAM pathogenesis and to investigate the inflammatory response that leads to the observed fetal and placental blood circulation abnormalities.
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Immunological control of congenital toxoplasmosis in the murine model. Immunol Lett 2008; 115:83-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2007.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2007] [Revised: 10/09/2007] [Accepted: 10/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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