title: Cytokine expression in the placenta of pregnant cattle after inoculation with Neospora caninum.
abstract: Neospora caninum is recognized as a major cause of reproductive losses worldwide but its pathogenesis is not completely understood. Immune mediated placental pathology has been reported as being responsible for compromising pregnancy probably due to the adverse effects of exacerbated Th1 type response at the maternal-foetal interface. Different clinical outcomes are known to occur following experimental infections of cattle at different stages of gestation, with foetal death being the most common finding during early gestation, and the birth of live congenitally infected calves following infection later in gestation. The aim of the current study was to characterize the cytokine expression in the placenta of cattle experimentally challenged with tachyzoites of the Nc-1 strain during early, mid and late gestation. Moderate to severe infiltration of IL-12, IFN-γ and TNF-α expressing cells was observed in the placentas collected at early gestation and this infiltration was more pronounced in the samples collected from challenged dams carrying non-viable foetuses, compared with the mothers carrying viable foetuses. In contrast, the infiltration of Th1 cytokine expressing-cells was mild following N. caninum infection in mid gestation and scarce during infection in late gestation. Scarce expression of IL-4 was observed in the placentas from N. caninum-challenged and negative control animals throughout gestation. The milder Th1 immune response observed during later stages of gestation following Nc-1 infection could partially explain the less severe clinical outcome when compared to early pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, EH26 0PZ Penicuik, United Kingdom; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), EEA Balcarce, CC276, 7620, Argentina.
authors.forename: Germán J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cantón
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, EH26 0PZ Penicuik, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Katzer
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, EH26 0PZ Penicuik, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Maley
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, EH26 0PZ Penicuik, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bartley
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, EH26 0PZ Penicuik, United Kingdom; Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-ULE), León 24346, Spain.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benavides-Silván
authors.affiliation: Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland (BioSS), EH9 3JZ Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Palarea-Albaladejo
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, EH26 0PZ Penicuik, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, EH25 9RG Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sionagh H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, EH26 0PZ Penicuik, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rocchi
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, EH26 0PZ Penicuik, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buxton
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, EH26 0PZ Penicuik, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Elisabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Innes
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, EH26 0PZ Penicuik, United Kingdom. Electronic address: francesca.chianini@moredun.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chianini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D018688:Neospora; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Cattle; Cytokines; Neospora caninum; Placenta