Host/parasite relationship in the in vitro infection of rat gliocytes by Neospora caninum:: Evaluation of cell respiration

Neospora caninum is a protozoon that causes abortion in cattle and neuromuscular lesions in dogs, with the formation of cysts mainly in the central nervous system. Since N. caninum is an intracellular parasite with tropism for the cells of nervous system, this study evaluated the respiratory metabolism of glial cells infected by this parasite. Glial cultures obtained from the cerebral cortex of newborn rats were kept in DMEM enriched with 10% fetal bovine serum, 1mM pyruvic acid and 2 mM Of L-glutamine. They were infected at a ratio of approximately 1:1 (cell/parasite). Oxygen consumption was evaluated by polarography in the non infected and N. caninum infected groups, 24 and 72 It following infection. Glial cell respiration after 24 and 72 It was 307.2 +/- 34.7 and 308.9 +/- 64.1 mu L of oxygen per mu g of total protein per minute, and 566.2 +/- 54.6 and 579 +/- 117.5 mu L O-2/mu g of total protein/minute in the control and infected groups, respectively. These results show that N. caninum does not interfere with glial respiration in vitro. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.