title: Cell mediated immune responses in the placenta following challenge of vaccinated pregnant heifers with Neospora caninum.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate and correlate the cell-mediated immune response and pathological changes at the maternal-fetal interface of Neospora-challenged pregnant cattle previously immunized with live and inactivated experimental vaccines. Pregnant heifers naïve to Neospora caninum were divided in 5 groups of 4 animals, each one immunized before mating: Group A heifers were intravenously (iv) immunized with 6.25 × 10(7) live tachyzoites of the NC-6 strain; group B heifers were immunized twice subcutaneously (sc) 3 weeks apart with native antigen extract of the NC-6 strain formulated with ISCOMs; group C heifers were sc immunized twice 3 weeks apart with three recombinant proteins (rNcSAG1, rNcHSP20, rNcGRA7) of the NC-1 strain formulated with ISCOMs; group D heifers were sc injected with sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and group E heifers received sc ISCOM-matrix (ISCOMs without antigen). All groups were iv-challenged with 4.7 × 10(7) NC-1 tachyzoites at 70 days of gestation. Heifers were culled at day 104 of gestation and placentomes were examined to evaluate lesions and local cellular immune responses using histopathology, immunohistochemistry and real time-PCR. Immunohistochemistry was performed using bovine leucocyte specific antibodies. Cytokine expression and levels (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and TNF-α) were measured using real-time reverse transcription-PCR and ELISA, respectively. Minimal inflammation was observed in group A placentomes; while placentomes from group B, C, D and E had moderate to severe infiltration with CD3(+), CD4(+), γδ-T cells, CD8(+) cells and macrophages being more numerous in groups B and E placentomes, when compared with groups C and D (P<0.001). Cytokine levels were significantly increased in the caruncles of animals of groups B and C in comparison with the other animal groups (P < 0.001). The results from this study showed that the strongest cellular immune responses were observed in the placentomes of animals that were immunized with inactivated vaccines (groups B and C) and in the placentomes of animals that were sc-sham-inoculated (groups D and E). On the other hand, animals that were immunized with live tachyzoites showed a milder immune cell infiltration to the placenta possibly due to the existence of a protective systemic maternal immune response that helped to minimize N. caninum infection at the maternal-fetal interface.
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Argentina. Electronic address: hecker.yanina@inta.gob.ar.
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Hecker
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Argentina.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cantón
authors.affiliation: SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Regidor-Cerrillo
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Edinburgh EH26 0PZ, UK.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chianini
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Argentina.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morrell
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Argentina.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lischinsky
authors.affiliation: SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ortega-Mora
authors.affiliation: Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Edinburgh EH26 0PZ, UK.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Innes
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Argentina.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Odeón
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Argentina.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Campero
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Argentina.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology*; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000592:standards; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000276:immunology / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated
keywords: Bovine; Cellular immune response; Neospora caninum; Placenta; Vaccine