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Cryptosporidium infections in inbred strains of mice
1Division of Biotechnology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724.
Abstract:
Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite of man and animals, is an important etiological agent of diarrhea throughout the world, particularly in children and immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS patients. Unfortunately, because of the lack of both in vivo laboratory models and reliable in vitro parasite culture systems, virtually nothing is known about the immunological events occurring during disease. In order to identify reliable animal models for infection, we studied C. parvum infections in 19 different strains of mice representing 12 H-2 haplotypes: A/J, AKR/J, B10.D2/J, B10.M/J, C3H/HeJ, C57BL/65, C57BL/6J-bgJ, CBA/NJ, DBA/1J, DBA/2J, HRS/J, HTG/J, NZB/B1NJ, NZW/J, P/J, RIII/J, SJL/J, SWR/J, and WB/ReJ, and in one gerbil: Meriones unguiculatus. Fecal samples and histological sections of the intestine taken on day 7 post-Cryptosporidium inoculation indicated that only the beige mouse (C57BL/6J-bgJ) harbored significant numbers of parasites compared to the other strains. The numbers of parasites harbored in these NK cell-deficient beige mice were, however, considerably lower than those seen in neonatal mice. Adult inbred mouse strains susceptible to Cryptosporidium infections are discussed.
Insights
Cryptosporidium parvum causes diarrhea globally. Beige mice (C57BL/6J-bgJ), deficient in NK cells, showed higher parasite levels, suggesting their potential as an animal model for cryptosporidiosis research.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Parasitology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Cryptosporidium is a significant cause of diarrhea worldwide, especially in children and immunocompromised individuals.
- Lack of reliable in vivo and in vitro models hinders understanding of cryptosporidiosis immunology.
- Identifying suitable animal models is crucial for studying host-parasite interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify reliable animal models for Cryptosporidium parvum infection.
- To investigate host immune responses in different mouse strains and gerbils.
Main Methods:
- Infection of 19 mouse strains and 1 gerbil species (Meriones unguiculatus) with C. parvum.
- Analysis of fecal samples and intestinal histological sections 7 days post-inoculation.
- Comparison of parasite burden across different animal models.
Main Results:
- The beige mouse strain (C57BL/6J-bgJ), lacking Natural Killer (NK) cells, harbored significantly more Cryptosporidium parasites than other strains.
- Parasite numbers in beige mice were lower than those observed in neonatal mice.
- Most adult inbred mouse strains showed limited susceptibility to infection.
Conclusions:
- Beige mice represent a promising, albeit imperfect, animal model for studying Cryptosporidium infections due to their higher parasite burden.
- Further research is needed to optimize animal models for understanding cryptosporidiosis pathogenesis and host immunity.
- The study highlights the importance of specific immune deficiencies in susceptibility to parasitic infections.