In vitro study of the effects of Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae extracts on apoptosis and dysfunction in the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

It has been hypothesized that blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction in Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection might be due to the apoptosis of the hosts' BBB cells. Here, we evaluated this hypothesis through several methods, all based on an in vitro mouse BBB model consisting of primary culture brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) and brain astrocytic cells (BACs). In the present study, a four-hour percolation and HRP permeability experiment showed that A.

[Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction detection for Toxoplasma gondii B1 gene in mice urine].

A pair of specific primers and a TaqMan probe were designed based on the sequence of Toxoplasma gondii B1 gene from GenBank database. Total DNA of T. gondii was extracted from fresh mice urine.

Induction of protective Th1 immune responses in mice by vaccination with recombinant Toxoplasma gondii nucleoside triphosphate hydrolase-II.

The Toxoplasma gondii nucleoside triphosphate hydrolase (TgNTPase) has apyrase activity, degrading ATP to the di- and mono-phosphate forms and may be used by the parasite to salvage purines from the host cell for survival and replication. To study the immune-protective value of TgNTPase-II, BALB/c mice were immunized with a recombinant form of the antigen rTgNTPase-II combined with alum. All immunized mice produced specific anti-rTgNTPase-II immunoglobulins, with high IgG antibody titers and a mixed IgG1/IgG2a response, with predominance of IgG2a production.

[Research progress on Th17 cells].

Th17(T helper 17 cell), a newly discovered subset of T cells is associated with IL-23 and characterized by production of IL-17, the functions of which are distinct from those of Th1, Th2 and Treg subsets. The development of Th17 cells can be promoted by TGF-beta1, IL-6, and IL-23; but inhibited by IFN-gamma, IL-4 and Socs3. It is clear that Th17 cells have protective effects on body by facilitating the pro-inflammatory responses.

[Effect of rmu-IFN-gamma on the splenic T cell subsets and NK cells of pregnant mice infected with Toxoplasma gondii].

Objective: To explore the effect of rmu-IFN-gamma on the change of T cell subsets and natural killer cells of pregnant mice infected with T. gondii.

Methods: Early pregnant mice infected with T.