title: Müller cell activation and photoreceptor depletion in a mice model of congenital ocular toxoplasmosis.
abstract: Müller glial cells are critically involved in retinal inflammatory processes. Here, we investigate the activation of Müller cells in a model of congenital ocular toxoplasmosis (OT). Four weeks after infection, retinal sections were studied immunohistochemically using the markers glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin. Müller cells showed strong up-regulation of both markers, as well as a deteriorated morphology in all infected retinas. Moreover, cell density and color intensity of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) of photoreceptors were decreased. Our results indicate that the severe retinal damage and loss of vision observed in human OT may be not only directly caused by infection but rather mediated by infection induced reactive gliosis.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale, EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle, Université de Strasbourg, France; Laboratoire de Parasitologie - Mycologie Médicale et Moléculaire (code LR12ES08), Département de Biologie Clinique B, Faculté de Pharmacie de Monastir, Université de Monastir, Tunisia. Electronic address: ibtissem.lahmar@laposte.net.
authors.forename: Ibtissem
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lahmar
authors.affiliation: Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale, EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle, Université de Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Alexander W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Pfaff
authors.affiliation: Département de Pathologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marcellin
authors.affiliation: Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale, EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle, Université de Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Anatomie Pathologique, Hôpital Universitaire Fattouma Bourguiba, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Adnane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moussa
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie - Mycologie Médicale et Moléculaire (code LR12ES08), Département de Biologie Clinique B, Faculté de Pharmacie de Monastir, Université de Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hamouda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Babba
authors.affiliation: Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale, EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle, Université de Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Ermanno
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Candolfi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D063928:Ependymoglial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005911:Gliosis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000473:pathology*; D014126:Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / Q000151:congenital* / Q000473:pathology*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D014746:Vimentin
keywords: GFAP; Müller cells; Photoreceptors; Toxoplasma gondii; Vimentin