title: Cryptosporidium infection impairs growth and muscular protein synthesis in suckling rats.
abstract: This study aimed to explore the metabolic consequences of cryptosporidiosis in an acute experimental model both at the peak of infection and after parasite clearance. Four-day-old suckling rats were infected with 10(6) oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum. At the peak of infection (day 8 PI), C. parvum resulted in a dramatic reduction both in nutrient intake (-50%) and body weight (16.3+/-5.2 vs 27.3+/-1.0 g, P<0.01) with a decrease in both lean body mass and adipose tissue. Muscular fractional and absolute synthesis rate were reduced (-15 and -55%, respectively). After parasite clearance (day 17 PI), body weight remained reduced in formerly infected animals (37.8+/-8.0 vs 47.8+/-4.2 g, P<0.01) whereas nutrient intake normalized and fractional synthesis rate slightly increased (+22%) compared to controls. Overall, our results show that the impact and consequences of cryptosporidiosis are far greater than generally appreciated, leading to major malnutrition in suckling rats.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Animale et Parasitaire, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Université René Descartes, 75006 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Topouchian
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kapel
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Larue-Achagiotis
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barbot
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tomé
authors.forename: Jean-Gérard
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Gobert
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Huneau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins