Protein-caloric restriction induced HPA axis activation and altered the milk composition imprint metabolism of weaned rat offspring.

Objectives: Maternal protein-caloric restriction during lactation can malprogram offspring into having a lean phenotype associated with metabolic dysfunction in early life and adulthood. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between nutritional stress, maternal behavior and metabolism, milk composition, and offspring parameters. Additionally, we focused on the role of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivation during lactation.

Moderate intestinal immunopathology after acute oral infection with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts is associated with expressive levels of serotonin.

Background: Invasion of the intestinal mucosa by T. gondii elicits a local immune response of variable intensity. These reactions can be lethal in C57BL/6 mice.

Acute infection with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts preferentially activates non-neuronal cells expressing serotonin in the jejunum of rats.

The interaction of Toxoplasma gondii with the gastrointestinal tract of its host is highly regulated. Once ingested, the parasite crosses the epithelium without altering the permeability of the intestinal barrier. Nevertheless, many studies report alterations ranging from structural to functional damage in cells and tissues that make up the wall of the small and large intestine.

Toxoplasma gondii causes increased ICAM-1 and serotonin expression in the jejunum of rats 12 h after infection.

Objective: To analyze the remodeling dynamics of total collagen, type I and III, the expression of ICAM-1 and 5-HT in the jejunum of rats.

Methods: Twenty-eight Wistar rats were randomly assigned to two experimental groups: the control group (CG, n = 7) and the infected group (receiving 5,000 sporulated T. gondii oocysts - ME49 strain, genotype II, n = 21).