Cellular immune response in water buffalo placentas after inoculation with Neospora caninum during early gestation

CANTÓN, G.; CHIANINI, F.; KONRAD, J.L.; CAMPERO, C.M.

Glasgow

Seminario; British Society for Parasitology. Spring Meeting and Trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis Seminar; 2012

British Society for Parasitology

Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) play a crucial role in tropical areas and their importance is increasing in western nations. Susceptibility to Neospora caninum (Nc) is not fully understood, although abortion has been confirmed after experimental and natural infections and an exacerbated cellular immune response was associated with bovine abortion. The aim of this work was to characterize the placental immune response following experimental infection of 10 pregnant Mediterranean water buffalo intravenously inoculated with 108 tachyzoites of Nc-1 strain at days 70 (B1) and 90 (B2). Placentomas were examined by immunohistochemistry using antibodies raised against T-cells (CD3, CD4, CD8, natural killer (NK) cells and B cells. Non-suppurative placentitis was the most frequent finding in challenged animals. Inflammation was generally mild to severe in group B1 and mild to moderate in group B2 animals. Inflammation was mainly characterized by infiltration of CD3, and CD4 cells; whereas CD8 cells were less numerous. Few NK-cells were observed in infected animals. Compared with studies at the same gestation age in cettle, the cellular immune infiltrates were less severe. These findings may explain the milder clinical outcome observed in water buffalo after infection Nc at the same period of gestation.