The present study was conducted to determine the effect of multiple low doses of methylmercury (MeHg) on the course of a chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection. Four groups of 6-wk-old female CBA/J mice either were fed 25 T. gondii tissue cysts of the ME-49 strain or were vehicle control. Six weeks later, half of each group was orally gavaged with 8-mg/kg body weight doses of MeHg on days 0, 2, 4, 7, 10, and 13, totaling 4 experimental groups. Mice were killed on day 17 or 18 after MeHg exposure. Flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations in the thymus demonstrated a significant increase in the percentage of CD4−CD8+ T-cells in mice exposed to MeHg with a concurrent T. gondii infection. Groups of mice exposed to MeHg showed a decrease in total thymic cellularity and cellularity of all T-cell subpopulations when compared with control mice, but viability of these cells was unaffected. Splenic cell viability was decreased in mice exposed to MeHg, but alterations in T-cell subpopulations were not noted. These data indicate that multiple low doses of MeHg may not exacerbate chronic toxoplasmosis, but MeHg-induced effects on the immune system were evident.
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August 2003
RESEARCH NOTES|
August 01 2003
Neurotoxicity and Immunotoxicity Assessment in CBA/J Mice with Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Multiple Oral Exposures to Methylmercury
Marquea D. King;
Marquea D. King
bPresent address: National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, MC 8623-D, Washington, D.C. 20460. [email protected]
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David S. Lindsay;
David S. Lindsay
aDepartment of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia–Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
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S. Holladay;
S. Holladay
aDepartment of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia–Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
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M. Ehrich
M. Ehrich
aDepartment of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia–Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
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J Parasitol (2003) 89 (4): 856–859.
Citation
Marquea D. King, David S. Lindsay, S. Holladay, M. Ehrich; Neurotoxicity and Immunotoxicity Assessment in CBA/J Mice with Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Multiple Oral Exposures to Methylmercury. J Parasitol 1 August 2003; 89 (4): 856–859. doi: https://doi.org/10.1645/GE-79R
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