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Neuroprotective Effect of Chronic Intracranial Toxoplasma gondii Infection in a Mouse Cerebral Ischemia Model.
- Source :
-
The Korean journal of parasitology [Korean J Parasitol] 2020 Aug; Vol. 58 (4), pp. 461-466. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Aug 25. - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that can invade various organs in the host body, including the central nervous system. Chronic intracranial T. gondii is known to be associated with neuroprotection against neurodegenerative diseases through interaction with host brain cells in various ways. The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of chronic T. gondii infection in mice with cerebral ischemia experimentally produced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) surgery. The neurobehavioral effects of cerebral ischemia were assessed by measurement of Garcia score and Rotarod behavior tests. The volume of brain ischemia was measured by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. The expression levels of related genes and proteins were determined. After cerebral ischemia, corrected infarction volume was significantly reduced in T. gondii infected mice, and their neurobehavioral function was significantly better than that of the uninfection control group. Chronic T. gondii infection induced the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) in the brain before MCAO. T. gondii infection also increased the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor after the cerebral ischemia. It is suggested that chronic intracerebral infection of T. gondii may be a potential preconditioning strategy to reduce neural deficits associated with cerebral ischemia and induce brain ischemic tolerance through the regulation of HIF-1α expression.
- Subjects :
- Animals
Brain cytology
Brain metabolism
Brain pathology
Brain Ischemia parasitology
Brain Ischemia pathology
Disease Models, Animal
Gene Expression
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit genetics
Mice, Inbred ICR
Organ Size
Toxoplasmosis metabolism
Toxoplasmosis pathology
Brain parasitology
Brain Ischemia prevention & control
Host-Parasite Interactions
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit metabolism
Neuroprotection
Toxoplasma physiology
Toxoplasmosis physiopathology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1738-0006
- Volume :
- 58
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The Korean journal of parasitology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 32871641
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2020.58.4.461