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  • Title: Toxoplasma gondii infection reduces serum progesterone levels and adverse effects at the maternal-foetal interface.
    Author: Brito C, M Silva T, M Castro M, Wyrwas W, Oliveira B, M Fonseca B, Oliveira P, W Roberts C, Teixeira N, Borges M.
    Journal: Parasite Immunol; 2020 Feb; 42(2):e12690. PubMed ID: 31802508.
    Abstract:
    AIMS: Pregnant BALB/c mice infected with a Toxoplasma gondii type II strain were used to determine how pregnancy interferes with the development of maternal immunity to T gondii and how infection disrupts pregnancy and foetal development. METHODS: Maternal and foetal parasite loads were assessed by amplification of T gondii SAG1 using qPCR. Adverse effects of infection were evaluated on foetal-placental development by quantification of implantation units undergoing resorption and by histopathological analyses. Serum progesterone levels were quantified by immunoassay. The effect of T gondii infection on maternal immunity was determined by assessing the cellular composition of spleens by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Infected pregnant mice exhibited clinical signs of infection, inflammation and necrosis at the maternal-foetal interface and decreased serum progesterone levels. In infected mice, there was a clear effect of pregnancy and infection on macrophage cell numbers. However, no differences in the parasite load were detected between non-pregnant and pregnant mice. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal T gondii infection induced adverse effects at the maternal-foetal interface. Alterations were found in immune spleen cells, dependent on the day of pregnancy, relative to nonpregnant animals. The results obtained suggest a pregnancy-dependent mechanism during T gondii infection able to interfere with macrophage numbers.
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