α-Helical cathelicidins are modulated in the placenta and fetal spleen of Neospora caninum experimentally infected cattle.

BURUCÚA, MERCEDES; MARIN, MAIA; HECKER, YANINA; QUINTANA, SILVINA; ODEÓN, ANSELMO; CANTÓN, GERMÁN; COBO, EDUARDO; MOORE, PRANDO

Mar del Plata

Encuentro; Encuentro SAIC-SAI-SAFIS; 2018

Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología/ Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología Clínica/ Sociedad Argentina de Fisiología

Innate immune responses at the maternal-fetal interface are key in the pathogenesis ofNeospora caninum, an obligate parasite that causes abortion in cattle. Amongantimicrobial peptides, cathelicidins are small cationic peptides which have generatedgreat interest as multifunctional molecules that mediate various host responses, includingmicrobicidal action, chemotaxis and activation of cytokine secretion. Their functions arepoorly characterized during the immunological response against N. caninum. Herein, wedetermined the gene expression of two α-helical cathelicidins in the placenta and fetusesfrom both non-infected pregnant heifers and pregnant heifers intravenously challengedwith live tachyzoites of NC-1 strain of N. caninum on day 70 of gestation. On day 104 ofpregnancy, mRNA expression of bovine cathelicidins BMAP27 and BMAP28 wasdetermined by RT-qPCR. Relative expression analysis was performed with RESTsoftware (P