title: Neospora caninum: infection induces high lysosomal activity.
abstract: Neospora caninum is a protozoan that causes abortion in cattle and neuromuscular lesions in dogs, making it an important target of veterinary medicine. Lysosomes are cellular organelles responsible for important biological functions as cellular defense mechanisms. The aim of this work was to evaluate the lysosomal stability of rat gliocytes infected in vitro with N. caninum. Rat glial cultures were infected at a ratio of 1:1 (cell/parasite). The enzymatic activity of acid phosphatase (orthophosphoric-monoester phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.2) was assayed in the medium of control and infected cell cultures. The activity observed at 24h of incubation was 0.4±0.08mU/mg/min for control cells and 1.3±0.5mU/mg/min for infected cells. After 72h, control and infected cells exhibited activities of 1.3±0.5 and 4.1±0.9mU/mg/min, respectively. These results suggested that lysosomal compartment plays an important role in the mechanisms of cellular infection by N. caninum.
authors: Laboratory of Veterinary Biochemistry and Immunology, CCAAB - Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Ambientais e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Brazil. amp1@uol.com.br
authors: Alexandre M
authors: AM
authors: Pinheiro
authors: Cláudia Valle Cabral D
authors: CV
authors: Santos
authors: Luiz Erlon A
authors: LE
authors: Rodrigues
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D018688:Neospora / Q000502:physiology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000469:parasitology*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D000135:Acid Phosphatase
keywords: Astrocytes; Lysosomal activity; Neospora caninum