Neospora caninum infection during early pregnancy in cattle: how the isolate influences infection dynamics, clinical outcome and peripheral and local immune responses.
This work studies the influence of Neospora caninum intra-species diversity on abortion outcome, infection dynamics in terms of parasite dissemination and peripheral-local immune responses in pregnant cattle. Animals were intravenously inoculated at day 70 of pregnancy with 10⁷ tachyzoites of two isolates showing marked differences in virulence in vitro and in pregnant mouse models: Nc-Spain7, a high virulence isolate, and Nc-Spain8, a low-to-moderate virulence isolate. After inoculation, pregnancy was monitored, and dams were culled when foetal death was detected. Foetal mortality occurred in all infected heifers between days 24 and 49 post-infection (pi), however, it was detected sooner in Nc-Spain7-infected animals (median day = 34) than those inoculated with Nc-Spain8 (median day = 41) with a trend towards significance (P < 0.11). Similar histological lesions were observed in placentomes and in most of the foetuses from the two infected groups. However, parasites were more frequently detected in the placenta and foetuses by PCR and in the foetal brain by immunohistochemistry in Nc-Spain7-infected animals. Specific antibodies were detected starting at day 13 post-infection in all infected cattle, with higher IgG levels in Nc-Spain7-infected group. IFN-γ and IL-4 profiles also varied between infected groups in PBMC stimulation assays. Infected animals showed significant increases in their cytokine mRNA levels (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12p40 and TNF-α) in the caruncle at time of foetal death. Differences between the infected groups were also observed for cytokine profiles. These results demonstrate the influence of the N. caninum isolate on foetal death outcome, infection dynamics and immune responses in cattle.
Animal Health Department, SALUVET, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain. jregidor@vet.ucm.es.
Javier
J
Regidor-Cerrillo
David
D
Arranz-Solís
Julio
J
Benavides
Mercedes
M
Gómez-Bautista
José Antonio
JA
Castro-Hermida
Mercedes
M
Mezo
Valentín
V
Pérez
Luis Miguel
LM
Ortega-Mora
Marta
M
González-Warleta
D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D018688:Neospora / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D059208:Parasite Load / Q000662:veterinary; D010920:Placenta / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014774:Virulence
D016207:Cytokines