Cytopathic effects of Tritrichomonas foetus on bovine oviduct cells

Abstract

Tritrichomonas foetus is an extracellular parasite of the reproductive tract in cattle. To investigate the cytopathic effects of T. foetus in deeper parts of the reproductive tract, a bovine primary oviduct epithelial cell system (BOECs) was developed. Reproductive tracts were obtained from cows and the effect of co-incubating T. foetus with BOECs was analyzed by scanning electron, transmission electron and fluorescence microscopy. Viability tests were performed using colorimetric methods, TUNEL (Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling), fluorescein diacetate, propidium iodide, JC-1 and annexin-V. The results demonstrate that: (1) the in vitro oviduct epithelium is useful for interaction experiments with T. foetus; (2) T. foetus adheres to the BOECs as single separate cells, and later on the cells aggregate as large clusters; (3) the posterior region of the cell initiates the process of adhesion and forms filopodia and digitopodia; (4) T. foetus severely damages BOECs leaving imprints in the epithelial cells, wide intercellular spaces, and large lesions in the epithelium; and (5) T. foetus provokes bovine oviduct cell death by apoptosis and secondary necrosis. Our observations indicate the possibility that T. foetus can move through the reproductive tract to the oviduct and that infertility in cows can be mediated by an attack on the oviduct cells by T. foetus.

Interaction of Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus with keratin: an important role in parasite infection

“…Corbeil et al (1989) studied T. foetus adhesion on isolated bovine VECs and concluded that parasites preferentially attached to squamous cells. It has also been published that the ciliated cells present in the bovine oviduct are not a preferential site for trichomonad interaction; instead, the secretory cells seem to be the adhesion site of the parasites (Midlej et al 2009). Some authors have claimed that T. vaginalis exhibited an increased ratio of attachment and cytotoxicity on epithelial cells compared to fibroblasts (Alderete & Garza 1985).…”

Comparative aspects of immunity and vaccination in human and bovine trichomoniasis: a review

“…In laboratory mice, Tritrichomonas foetus maintains its shape and flagella and adheres to and injure vaginal and endometrial epithelial cells (Singh et al 2004;Gilbert et al 2000;Midlej et al 2009;Vilela and Benchimol 2011;Pereira-Neves et al 2012). Inhibition of cell division and endometrial inflammation were detected in vitro in oviduct organ culture models (Benchimol et al 2006;Ma et al 2011) .…”

“…The interactions of Tritrichomonas foetus and Trichomonas vaginalis with host epithelial cells are associated with the activation of different proteases causing epithelial cell apoptosis (Midlej et al 2009;Midlej and Benchimol 2010). In vivo, Tritrichomonas foetus initially adheres to and infects the vagina, causing vaginitis, and then ascends to the uterus and oviduct (Anderson et al 1996;BonDurant et al 2003) and may also cross the placenta.…”

“…In vivo, Tritrichomonas foetus initially adheres to and infects the vagina, causing vaginitis, and then ascends to the uterus and oviduct (Anderson et al 1996;BonDurant et al 2003) and may also cross the placenta. Trichomonads are usually confined to the lumen of the genitalia (Parsonson et al 1976) but can adhere tightly to oviductal epithelial cells, thus preventing fertilization (Midlej et al 2009). On the other hand, Trichomonas vaginalis causes hydrolase and endotoxin invasion of the amniotic fluid in pregnant women (McGregor et al 1992).…”

IL-10 release by bovine epithelial cells cultured with Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus

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To verify the response of host cells to trichomonad infection, a primary culture of bovine epithelial cells (BOECs) was grown to model host cells, following previously published procedures (Midlej et al 2009). The JT strain of T. vaginalis (Fig.

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