Effects of Experimental Sarcocystis neurona-Induced Infection on Immunity in an Equine Model

S Rochelle Lewis, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA ; Rangiora Veterinary Centre, Rangiora 7400, New Zealand.
Siobhan P. Ellison, Pathogenes Inc, P.O. Box 970, Fairfield, FL 32634, USA.
John J. Dascanio, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA ; College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN 37752, USA.
David S. Lindsay, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
Robert M. Gogal, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA ; Department of Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Stephen R. Werre, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
Naveen Surendran, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA ; Rochester General Hospital Research Institute, Rochester, NY 14621, USA.
Meghan E. Breen, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA ; Natural Vet Palm Beach, Juno Beach, FL 33408, USA.
Bettina M. Heid, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
Frank M. Andrews, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA ; School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Clinics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
Virginia A. Buechner-Maxwell, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
Sharon G. Witonsky, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Abstract

Sarcocystis neurona is the most common cause of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM), affecting 0.5-1% horses in the United States during their lifetimes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the equine immune responses in an experimentally induced Sarcocystis neurona infection model. Neurologic parameters were recorded prior to and throughout the 70-day study by blinded investigators. Recombinant SnSAG1 ELISA for serum and CSF were used to confirm and track disease progression. All experimentally infected horses displayed neurologic signs after infection. Neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes from infected horses displayed significantly delayed apoptosis at some time points. Cell proliferation was significantly increased in S. neurona-infected horses when stimulated nonspecifically with PMA/I but significantly decreased when stimulated with S. neurona compared to controls. Collectively, our results suggest that horses experimentally infected with S. neurona manifest impaired antigen specific response to S. neurona, which could be a function of altered antigen presentation, lack of antigen recognition, or both.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Journal of veterinary medicine

First Page

239495

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