A preliminary study on placental damage associated to experimental neosporosis in BALB/c mice

Dysfunction, oxidative stress markers, and cytokine expression in the placentae of mice experimentally infected with Neospora caninum

“…In the present report, high peripheral IFN-γ levels were unsuccessful in preventing neither the pregnancy losses nor the multiplication of N. caninum in the placenta, since N. caninum gDNA was detected in 93.75% of the NC-1 evaluated placentae (15+/16 total), corresponding to 100% of the infected dams, with a mean parasite load of 13.15 ± 5.2 (pg parasite gDNA/100 ng total brain gDNA). Placental tissues are known to be a particularly endocrine-immune microenvironment which can be severely affected by infections, including N. caninum (Tang et al, 2023). In rodents, P 4 present at the placenta is a potent inducer of Th2-type cytokines, which in turn, can inhibit the development and function of Th1 cells (Arck et al, 2007).…”

“…However, the increased levels of ROS and MDA demonstrate that the antioxidant defense system was ine cient to protect cells from OS and its consequences. Recently, Tang et al (2023) have demonstrated that N. caninum infection at the placenta of pregnant mice was associated with increased apoptosis. Taking into account that it is well established that excess OS kills cells either by necrosis or by apoptosis (Sinha et al, 2013), the OS contribution to the induction of apoptosis, and thus to the pathogenesis of congenital neosporosis must be considered.…”

Immunisation with Neospora caninum subunits rsNcSAG4 and rsNcGRA1 (NcSAG4 and NcGRA1 epitopes construct) in BALB/c mice: the profile of the immune response and controlling the vertical transmission

“…This clinical manifestation is related to controlling the vertical transmission, maintaining survival rates, and fertility in the dams immunised with rsNcGRA1 and peptides in combination at a standard dose. However, the dams immunised with rsNcGRA1 at a low dose and rsNcSAG4 at a standard dose showed the lowest rate of pregnancy associated with increasing levels of TNF-α, suggesting a plausible alteration in the gestation establishment by compromising the reproductive tract (López-Pérez et al 2010 ; Tang et al 2023 ). However, the dams immunised with peptides in combination at standard dose showed an immune response profile compatible with gestation establishment, revealing the best pregnancy rate.…”

“…The peptides based on immunogenic fractions of native antigens could improve their immunogenicity, adding new knowledge to developing new-generation vaccines against neosporosis. That could be assayed in mice which are a valid model for vaccine candidate research (Aguado-Martínez et al 2017 ) due to BALB/c mice developing a productive infection with cerebral lesions (Lindsay et al 1995 ; Jia et al 2020 ) and vertical transmission to newborn pups after infection with N. caninum (Tang et al 2023 ). This study evaluated in BALB/c mice potential vaccines composed of recombinant peptides rsNcGRA1 and rsNcSAG4, designed by predicting T and B epitopes of NcSAG4 and NcGRA1 antigens and produced in the yeast system of Komagataella phaffii concerning the immunogenicity and protection against neosporosis, demonstrating that combined peptides and rsNcGRA1 alone at standard doses can induce a proper immune response that controls the chronic infection in dams and reduces vertical transmission in pups.…”