Characterization of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with Encephalitozoon cuniculi
Abstract Encephalitozoonosis is a common infectious disease widely spread among rabbits. Encephalitozoon cuniculi, is considered as a zoonotic and emerging pathogen capable of infecting both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. The aim of the study was to describe in detail the spread of the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Veterinary Research |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13567-020-00806-9 |
| _version_ | 1818249125350604800 |
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| author | Edita Jeklova Lenka Leva Jan Matiasovic Petra Ondrackova Vladimir Kummer Martin Faldyna |
| author_facet | Edita Jeklova Lenka Leva Jan Matiasovic Petra Ondrackova Vladimir Kummer Martin Faldyna |
| author_sort | Edita Jeklova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Encephalitozoonosis is a common infectious disease widely spread among rabbits. Encephalitozoon cuniculi, is considered as a zoonotic and emerging pathogen capable of infecting both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. The aim of the study was to describe in detail the spread of the E. cuniculi in a rabbit organism after experimental infection and the host humoral and cellular immune response including cytokine production. For that purpose, healthy immunocompetent rabbits were infected orally in order to simulate the natural route of infection and euthanised at 2, 4, 6 and 8-weeks post-infection. Dissemination of E. cuniculi in the body of the rabbit was more rapid than previously reported. As early as 2 weeks post-infection, E. cuniculi was detected using immunohistochemistry not only in the intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, liver, kidneys, lungs and heart, but also in nervous tissues, especially in medulla oblongata, cerebellum, and leptomeninges. Based on flow cytometry, no conspicuous changes in lymphocyte subpopulations were detected in the examined lymphoid organs of infected rabbits. Cell-mediated immunity was characterized by ability of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to proliferate after stimulation with specific antigens. Th1 polarization of immune response with a predominance of IFN-γ expression was detected in spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer’s patches. The increased expression of IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA in mixed samples from the small intestine is indicative of balanced control of IFN-γ, which prevents tissue damage. On the other hand, it can enable E. cuniculi to survive and persist in the host organism in a balanced host-parasite relationship. The Th17 immunity lineage seems to play only a minor role in E. cuniculi infection in rabbits. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T15:31:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e9a9dcff3b594ab79bf3bd113894deee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1297-9716 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T15:31:31Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-e9a9dcff3b594ab79bf3bd113894deee2022-12-22T00:20:07ZengBMCVeterinary Research1297-97162020-06-0151111510.1186/s13567-020-00806-9Characterization of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with Encephalitozoon cuniculiEdita Jeklova0Lenka Leva1Jan Matiasovic2Petra Ondrackova3Vladimir Kummer4Martin Faldyna5Veterinary Research InstituteVeterinary Research InstituteVeterinary Research InstituteVeterinary Research InstituteVeterinary Research InstituteVeterinary Research InstituteAbstract Encephalitozoonosis is a common infectious disease widely spread among rabbits. Encephalitozoon cuniculi, is considered as a zoonotic and emerging pathogen capable of infecting both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. The aim of the study was to describe in detail the spread of the E. cuniculi in a rabbit organism after experimental infection and the host humoral and cellular immune response including cytokine production. For that purpose, healthy immunocompetent rabbits were infected orally in order to simulate the natural route of infection and euthanised at 2, 4, 6 and 8-weeks post-infection. Dissemination of E. cuniculi in the body of the rabbit was more rapid than previously reported. As early as 2 weeks post-infection, E. cuniculi was detected using immunohistochemistry not only in the intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, liver, kidneys, lungs and heart, but also in nervous tissues, especially in medulla oblongata, cerebellum, and leptomeninges. Based on flow cytometry, no conspicuous changes in lymphocyte subpopulations were detected in the examined lymphoid organs of infected rabbits. Cell-mediated immunity was characterized by ability of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to proliferate after stimulation with specific antigens. Th1 polarization of immune response with a predominance of IFN-γ expression was detected in spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer’s patches. The increased expression of IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA in mixed samples from the small intestine is indicative of balanced control of IFN-γ, which prevents tissue damage. On the other hand, it can enable E. cuniculi to survive and persist in the host organism in a balanced host-parasite relationship. The Th17 immunity lineage seems to play only a minor role in E. cuniculi infection in rabbits.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13567-020-00806-9 |
| spellingShingle | Edita Jeklova Lenka Leva Jan Matiasovic Petra Ondrackova Vladimir Kummer Martin Faldyna Characterization of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with Encephalitozoon cuniculi Veterinary Research |
| title | Characterization of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with Encephalitozoon cuniculi |
| title_full | Characterization of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with Encephalitozoon cuniculi |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with Encephalitozoon cuniculi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with Encephalitozoon cuniculi |
| title_short | Characterization of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with Encephalitozoon cuniculi |
| title_sort | characterization of humoral and cell mediated immunity in rabbits orally infected with encephalitozoon cuniculi |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13567-020-00806-9 |
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