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Amelioration Of Congenital Toxoplasmosis Effects By Maternal Immune Stimulation
Author(s) -
Hrubec Terry C,
Goodwin David G,
Klein Bradley G,
Lindsay David S
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.910.1
Subject(s) - toxoplasma gondii , offspring , toxoplasmosis , immune system , congenital toxoplasmosis , immunology , interferon , physiology , pregnancy , biology , antibody , genetics
In mice, peri‐conceptual maternal immune stimulation can reduce the incidence and severity of structural birth defects caused by a wide variety of physical and chemical agents. Maternal immune mediated protection against malformations caused by an infectious agent has not previously been examined. We investigated the ability of interferon gamma (IFN) to protect against birth defects caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii . We assessed structural and behavioral deficits in offspring of control, Toxo only, IFN only, and IFN+Toxo treated mice. Offspring were assessed structurally on prenatal day 17 and functionally at 4 and 8 weeks of age using the Barnes maze, motor activity and function observational battery assessments. Infection with T. gondii reduced fetal viability to 23%; however, viability was increased to 58% in dams treated with IFN prior to infection. Congenital toxoplasmosis decreased memory and learning at 4 weeks of age. Treatment of dams with IFN altered spatial memory, coordination and processing of stimuli. By 8 weeks of age, all the deficits observed at 4 weeks had disappeared for both sexes, but male T. gondii infected mice acquired deficits involving spatial memory and rate of learning. IFN treatment prior to infection eliminated negative effects of congenital toxoplasmosis in male offspring. Supported by the Harvey Peters Foundation.