title: Astroglial cells in primary culture: a valid model to study Neospora caninum infection in the CNS.
abstract: The protozoan Neospora caninum has a veterinary importance because it causes abortion in cattle and neuromuscular alterations in dogs. We infected rat astrocytes, in vitro, with different concentrations of N. caninum. Astrocytes responded to infection by producing the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha and the neurotoxic-free radical NO, 24 and 72 h post-infection. These data suggest that astrocytes, which are essential for brain function, are targets for the parasite and this represents a practical and valid model to study the effects of N. caninum on the CNS.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brazil. amp1@uol.com.br
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: M A O
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tardy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: El Bachá
authors.forename: M F D
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D009573:Nitrites; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha