ArtinM and Jacalin (JAC) are lectins from the jackfruit (Artocarpus integrifolia) that have important role in modulation of immune responses to pathogens. Neospora caninum is an Apicomplexa parasite that causes neuromuscular disease in dogs and reproductive disorders in cattle, with economic impact on the livestock industry. Hence, we evaluated the adjuvant effect of ArtinM and JAC in immunization of mice against neosporosis. Six C57BL/6 mouse groups were subcutaneously immunized three times at 2-week intervals with Neospora lysate antigen (NLA) associated with lectins (NLA+ArtinM and NLA+JAC), NLA, ArtinM and JAC alone, and PBS (infection control). Animals were challenged with lethal dose of Nc-1 isolate and evaluated for morbidity, mortality, specific antibody response, cytokine production by spleen cells, brain parasite burden and inflammation. Our results demonstrated that ArtinM was able to increase NLA immunogenicity, inducing the highest levels of specific total IgG and IgG2a/IgG1 ratio, ex vivo Th1 cytokine production, increased survival, the lowest brain parasite burden, along with the highest inflammation scores. In contrast, NLA+JAC immunized group showed intermediate survival, the highest brain parasite burden and the lowest inflammation scores. In conclusion, ArtinM presents stronger immunostimulatory and adjuvant effect than Jacalin in immunization of mice against neosporosis, by inducing a protective Th1-biased pro-inflammatory immune response and higher protection after parasite challenge.

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Iron is an important constituent of our environment, being necessary for both mammalian and pathogenic protozoa survival. Iron-containing proteins exert a wide range of biological processes such as biodegradation and biosynthesis, as well as immune function, fetal development, and physical and mental well-being. This work aimed to investigate the effect of iron deprivation in Toxoplasma gondii infection outcome. C57BL/6 mice were orally infected with T. gondii and treated with an iron chelator, deferoxamine, or supplemented with iron (ferrous sulfate), and the parasitism as well as immunological and histological parameters were analyzed. It was observed that the infection increased iron accumulation in the organs, as well as systemically, and deferoxamine treatment diminished the iron content in serum samples and intestine. The deferoxamine treatment decreased the parasitism and inflammatory alterations in the small intestine and lung. Additionally, they partially preserved the Paneth cells and decreased the intestinal dysbiosis. The ferrous sulfate supplementation, despite not significantly increasing the parasite load in the organs, increased the inflammatory alterations in the liver. Together, our results suggest that iron chelation, which is commonly used to treat iron overload, could be a promising medicine to control T. gondii proliferation, mainly in the small intestine, and consequently inflammation caused by infection.

There is growing evidence in the literature suggesting that caste differentiation in the stingless bee, Melipona scutellaris, and other bees in the genus Melipona, is triggered by environmental signals, particularly a primer pheromone. With the proper amount of food and a chemical stimulus, 25% of females emerge as queens, in agreement with a long-standing “two loci/two alleles model” proposed in the 1950s. We surmised that these larvae must be equipped with an olfactory system for reception of these chemical signals. Here we describe for the first time the diversity of antennal sensilla in adults and the morphology of larvae of M. scutellaris. Having found evidence for putative olfactory sensilla in larvae, we next asked whether olfactory proteins were expressed in larvae. Since the molecular basis of M. scutellaris is still unknown, we cloned olfactory genes encoding chemosensory proteins (CSP) and odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) using M. scutellaris cDNA template and primers designed on the basis CSPs and OBPs previously reported from the European honeybee, Apis mellifera. We cloned two CSP and two OBP genes and then attempted to express the proteins encoded by these genes. With a recombinant OBP, MscuOBP8, and a combinatorial single-chain variable fragment antibody library, we generated anti-MscuOBP8 monoclonal antibody. By immunohistochemistry we demonstrated that the anti-MscuOBP8 binds specifically to the MscuOBP8. Next, we found evidence that MscuOBP8 is expressed in M. scutellaris larvae and it is located in the mandibular region, thus further supporting the hypothesis of olfactory function in immature stages. Lastly, molecular modeling suggests that MscuOBP8 may function as a carrier of primer pheromones or other ligands.

The heat shock protein of Toxoplasma gondii (TgHSP70) is a parasite virulence factor that is expressed during T. gondii stage conversion. To verify the effect of dexamethasone (DXM)-induced infection reactivation in the TgHSP70-specific humoral immune response and the presence of the protein in the mouse brain, we produced recombinant TgHSP70 and anti-TgHSP70 IgY antibodies to detect the protein, the specific antibody and levels of immune complexes (ICs) systemically, as well as the protein in the brain of resistant (BALB/c) and susceptible (C57BL/6) mice. It was observed higher TgHSP70-specific antibody titers in serum samples of BALB/c compared with C57BL/6 mice. However, the susceptible mice presented the highest levels of TgHSP70 systemically and no detection of specific ICs. The DXM treatment induced increased parasitism and lower inflammatory changes in the brain of C57BL/6, but did not interfere with the cerebral parasitism in BALB/c mice. Additionally, DXM treatment decreased the serological TgHSP70 concentration in both mouse lineages. C57BL/6 mice presented high expression of TgHSP70 in the brain with the progression of infection and under DXM treatment. Taken together, these data indicate that the TgHSP70 release into the bloodstream depends on the death of the parasites mediated by the host immune response, whereas the increased TgHSP70 expression in the brain depends on the multiplication rate of the parasite.