title: Neurotoxocarosis alters myelin protein gene transcription and expression.
abstract: Neurotoxocarosis is an infection of the central nervous system caused by migrating larvae of the common dog and cat roundworms (Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati), which are zoonotic agents. As these parasites are prevalent worldwide and neuropathological and molecular investigations on neurotoxocarosis are scare, this study aims to characterise nerve fibre demyelination associated with neurotoxocarosis on a molecular level. Transcription of eight myelin-associated genes (Cnp, Mag, Mbp, Mog, Mrf-1, Nogo-A, Plp1, Olig2) was determined in the mouse model during six time points of the chronic phase of infection using qRT-PCR. Expression of selected proteins was analysed by Western blotting or immunohistochemistry. Additionally, demyelination and neuronal damage were investigated histologically. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) between transcription rates of T. canis-infected and uninfected control mice were detected for all analysed genes while T. cati affected five of eight investigated genes. Interestingly, 2', 3 ´-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (Cnp) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (Mog) were upregulated in both T. canis- and T. cati-infected mice preceding demyelination. Later, CNPase expression was additionally enhanced. As expected, myelin basic protein (Mbp) was downregulated in cerebra and cerebella of T. canis-infected mice when severe demyelination was present 120 days post infectionem (dpi). The transcriptional pattern observed in the present study appears to reflect direct traumatic and hypoxic effects of larval migration as well as secondary processes including host immune reactions, demyelination and attempts to remyelinate damaged areas.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heuer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beyerbach
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lühder
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beineke
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strube
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000662:veterinary*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000378:metabolism*; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic