Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), an opportunistic protozoan, is an important cause of central nervous system (CNS) infections in immunosuppressed patients. The present study focused on the interaction between T. gondii and microglial cells from the brain of neonatal Balb/c mice. Preincubation of the murine microglial cells with recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced significant inhibition of T. gondii replication in a dose dependent manner. This antiparasitic effect in microglial cells was correlated with the induction of the L-arginine-dependent generation of reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNIs). Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was also involved in the toxoplasmastatic activity. Microglial cells incubated with recombinant TNF-alpha in combination with a non-activating concentration of rIFN-gamma released substantial amount of RNIs. Neutralizing antibodies against mouse TNF-alpha inhibited the release of RNI by rIFN-gamma activated macrophages. In summary, the present results show that activation of microglial cells by rIFN-gamma and LPS induce the production of nitric oxide (NO) by these cells via an L-arginine dependent pathway. NO appears to be the effector molecule mediating the toxoplasmastatic effects in these cells.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/08820139309084178 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Therapeutic reduction of neurocan in murine intracerebral hemorrhage lesions promotes oligodendrogenesis and functional recovery.
J Neuroinflammation
January 2025
Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 2 Jingba Road, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) causes prominent deposition of extracellular matrix molecules, particularly the chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan (CSPG) member neurocan. In tissue culture, neurocan impedes the properties of oligodendrocytes. Whether therapeutic reduction of neurocan promotes oligodendrogenesis and functional recovery in ICH is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSingle-nucleus transcriptome profiling provides insights into the pathophysiology of adhesive arachnoiditis.
Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis
January 2025
Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China. Electronic address:
Adhesive arachnoiditis (AA) is a rare form of chronic degenerative pathology associated with persistent inflammation in the arachnoid matter of the spinal cord. Despite the existing knowledge, the detailed pathological mechanisms underlying AA are not fully understood. This study aimed to elucidate through comprehensive single nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) to delineate the transcriptomic landscape of AA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCholesterol metabolites modulate ionotropic P2X4 and P2X7 receptor current in microglia cells.
Neuropharmacology
January 2025
Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. Electronic address:
The central nervous system is a well-known steroidogenic tissue producing, among others, cholesterol metabolites such as neuroactive steroids, oxysterols and steroid hormones. It is well known that these endogenous molecules affect several receptor classes, including ionotropic GABAergic and NMDA glutamatergic receptors in neurons. It has been shown that also ionotropic purinergic (P2X) receptors are cholesterol metabolites' targets.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExploring SERPINA3 as a neuroinflammatory modulator in Alzheimer's disease with sex and regional brain variations.
Metab Brain Dis
January 2025
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Human Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
SERPINA3, a serine protease inhibitor, is strongly associated with neuroinflammation, a typical condition of AD. Its expression is linked to microglial and astrocytic markers, suggesting it plays a significant role in modulating neuroinflammatory responses. In this study, we examined the SERPINA3 expression levels, along with CHI3L1, in various brain regions of AD patients and non-demented healthy controls (NDHC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlzheimer's disease and diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction: the microglia link?
Metab Brain Dis
January 2025
Department of Pharmacy, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shaoyang University, Shaoyang, Hunan, China.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and the aggregation of tau protein, resulting in intense memory loss and dementia. Diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction (DACD) is a complication of diabetes mellitus, which is associated with decreased cognitive function and impaired memory. A growing body of literature emphasize the involvement of microglia in AD and DACD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!