title: Toll-like receptors 3, 7 and 8 are upregulated in the placental caruncle and fetal spleen of Neospora caninum experimentally infected cattle.
abstract: Innate immune responses at the maternal-fetal interface are key in the pathogenesis of Neospora caninum, an obligate parasite that causes abortion in cattle. Herein, we determined the gene expression of endosomal Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the placenta and fetuses from both non-infected pregnant heifers and pregnant heifers intravenously challenged with live tachyzoites of N. caninum on day 70 of gestation. On day 104 of pregnancy, mRNA expression of TLRs 3 and 8, as well as that of TLRs 7 and 9, was high in the spleen of fetuses from N. caninum-infected heifers. Gene expression levels of endosomal TLRs were also detectable in the placenta and the maternal caruncle from infected heifers, being TLRs 3, 7 and 8 particularly upregulated, mostly in the caruncle. Basal TLR levels were higher in fetal spleen than in placental tissues. This study provides novel information on how innate TLR responses are induced at the maternal-fetal interface of cattle in response to intracellular N. caninum.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, Ruta 226 Km 73.5, 7620 Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: marin.maia@inta.gob.ar.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, Ruta 226 Km 73.5, 7620 Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Hecker
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ Buenos Aires, Argentina; Centro de Investigación en abejas sociales, Departamento de Biología, FCEyN, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ Buenos Aires, Argentina; Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil (CIVETAN, CONICET-CICPBA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, UNCPBA, Paraje Arroyo Seco S/N, 7000 Tandil, Argentina.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, Ruta 226 Km 73.5, 7620 Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Leunda
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, Ruta 226 Km 73.5, 7620 Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cantón
authors.affiliation: Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Cobo
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, Ruta 226 Km 73.5, 7620 Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, Ruta 226 Km 73.5, 7620 Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Odeón
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D018688:Neospora / Q000502:physiology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
keywords: Cattle; Fetus; Neospora caninum; Placenta; Toll-like receptor