Toxoplasma gondii: the severity of toxoplasmic encephalitis in C57BL/6 mice is associated with increased ALCAM and VCAM-1 expression in the central nervous system and higher blood-brain barrier permeability.
In order to investigate the differential ALCAM, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 adhesion molecules mRNA expression and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice in Toxoplasma gondii infection, animals were infected with ME-49 strain. It was observed higher ALCAM on day 9 and VCAM-1 expression on days 9 and 14 of infection in the central nervous system (CNS) of C57BL/6 compared to BALB/c mice. The expression of ICAM-1 was high and similar in the CNS of both lineages of infected mice. In addition, C57BL/6 presented higher BBB permeability and higher IFN-gamma and iNOS expression in the CNS compared to BALB/c mice. The CNS of C57BL/6 mice presented elevated tissue pathology and parasitism. In conclusion, our data suggest that the higher adhesion molecules expression and higher BBB permeability contributed to the major inflammatory cell infiltration into the CNS of C57BL/6 mice that was not efficient to control the parasite.
Silva
Neide Maria
NM
Laboratory of Immunopathology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG 38400-902, Brazil. nmsilva@icbim.ufu.br
Manzan
Renato Martins
RM
Carneiro
Wesley Pereira
WP
Milanezi
Cristiane Maria
CM
Silva
João Santana
JS
Ferro
Eloísa Amália Vieira
EA
Mineo
José Roberto
JR
D020410:Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000469:parasitology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D010539:Permeability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016781:Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D020410:Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II