Toxoplasma gondii causes increased ICAM-1 and serotonin expression in the jejunum of rats 12 h after infection.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the remodeling dynamics of total collagen, type I and III, the expression of ICAM-1 and 5-HT in the jejunum of rats.


METHODS
Twenty-eight Wistar rats were randomly assigned to two experimental groups: the control group (CG, n = 7) and the infected group (receiving 5,000 sporulated T. gondii oocysts - ME49 strain, genotype II, n = 21). Seven infected rats each at 6 (G6), 12 (G12), and 24 (G24) hours post infection were sacrificed and segments of jejunum were collected for standard histological, histochemical, and immunohistochemistry processing techniques.


RESULTS
The infection promoted ICAM-1 and 5-HT expression, type III collagen, and total mast cell increases. However, it also caused a reduction in the area occupied by type I collagen fibers, and in submucosa thickness, and caused ganglion and peri-ganglion alterations.


CONCLUSION
The structural damage caused by toxoplasmic infection is intense during the first 24 h post inoculation. At peak dissemination, from 12 to 24 h, there is an increase in ICAM-1 and 5-HT expression, with intense migration of mast cells to the site of infection. There was also a reduction in submucosa thickness, and an effective loss of extracellular matrix (ECM) organization, which included changes in the dynamics of type I and III total collagen deposition.
['Pastre|Maria José|MJ|', 'Casagrande|Lucas|L|', 'Gois|Marcelo Biondaro|MB|', 'Pereira-Severi|Letícia Sarturi|LS|', 'Miqueloto|Carlos Alberto|CA|', 'Garcia|João Luís|JL|', 'de Alcântara Nogueira-Melo|Gessilda|G|', "de Mello Gonçales Sant'Ana|Débora|D|"]
D000818:Animals D024042:Collagen Type I D024061:Collagen Type III D005109:Extracellular Matrix D045888:Ganglion Cysts D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 D007583:Jejunum D008297:Male D008407:Mast Cells D051381:Rats D017208:Rats, Wistar D012701:Serotonin D014122:Toxoplasma D014123:Toxoplasmosis
Mast cells Adhesion molecules Enterochromaffin cells Toxoplasmosis