Significant apoptosis rather autophagy predominates in astrocytes caused by Toxocara canis larval excretory-secretory antigens

Journal of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infection = Wei Mian Yu Gan Ran Za Zhi
Chia-Mei Chou, Chia-Kwung Fan

Abstract

Toxocariasis is a worldwide parasitic zoonosis and mainly caused by Toxocara canis. Humans can be infected by accidental ingestion of T. canis embryonated ova through contacting with contaminated food, water, or encapsulated larvae in paratenic hosts' viscera or meat. Since humans are the paratenic host of T. canis, the wandering and neuroinvasive larvae can cause mechanical tissue damage and the excretory-secretory antigens (TcES Ag) might induce neuroinflammatory responses in the brain. Human cerebral toxocariasis (CT) has been reported to cause several neurological symptoms and may develop into neurodegenerative diseases. However, the roles of astrocytes involved in the pathogenesis of CT remained largely unclear. This study intended to investigate the cytotoxic effects of TcES Ag on astrocytes as assessed by apoptosis and autophagy expression. Our results showed TcES Ag treatment reduced cell viability and caused morphological changes. Expressions of autophagy associated proteins including Beclin 1, phosphor-mTOR and LC3-Ⅱ were not significantly changed; however, p62 as well as the cell survival protein, mTOR, was concomitantly decreased in TcES Ag treatment. Significantly accelerated cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome c expr...Continue Reading

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