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Home / Equine Research Bank / Clin Diagn Lab Immunol / Cytokine gene expression in response to SnSAG1 in horses wit...
Clinical and diagnostic laboratory immunology2005; 12(5); 644-646; doi: 10.1128/CDLI.12.5.644-646.2005

Cytokine gene expression in response to SnSAG1 in horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.

Abstract: Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurologic syndrome seen in horses from the Americas and is mainly caused by Sarcocystis neurona. Recently, a 29-kDa surface antigen from S. neurona merozoites was identified as being highly immunodominant on a Western blot. This antigen has been sequenced and cloned, and the expressed protein has been named SnSAG1. In a previous study, cell-mediated immune responses to SnSAG1 were shown to be statistically significantly reduced in horses with EPM in comparison to EPM-negative control horses. It therefore appears as though the parasite is able to induce immunosuppression towards parasite-derived antigens as parasite-specific responses are decreased. Isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes from 21 EPM (cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] Western blot)-negative horses with no clinical signs and 21 horses with clinical signs of EPM (CSF Western blot positive) were cocultured with SnSAG1 for 48 and 72 h, and the effect on cytokine production was investigated by means of reverse transcriptase PCR. Cytokines assayed include gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and IL-6. beta-Actin was used as the housekeeping gene. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test of the findings indicated that there was a statistically significant decrease in IFN-gamma production after 48 h in culture for samples from horses with clinical disease. There was also a statistically significant increase in IL-4 production after 72 h in culture for samples from horses with EPM. These results further support the notion that this parasite is able to subvert the immune system in horses with clinical disease.
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Publication Date: 2005-05-10 PubMed ID: 15879026PubMed Central: PMC1112083DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.12.5.644-646.2005Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study delves into the response of cytokine gene expression in horses affected by Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM), mainly instigated by the Sarcocystis neurona parasite. The study highlights how the parasite can suppress the immune response in horses and increase the production of IL-4 cytokine in horses showing clinical signs of EPM.

Study Background

  • EPM is a neurologic disorder common in horses from the Americas, primarily caused by the Sarcocystis neurona parasite.
  • A surface antigen, SnSAG1, from S. neurona merozoites was identified and is significantly dominant in the antigens found in a Western blot, a widely used analytical technique used to detect specific proteins in a sample.
  • Previous studies established a considerable reduction in the immune responses to SnSAG1 in horses afflicted with EPM compared to healthy control horses.

Methodology

  • The study involved 21 healthy horses and 21 horses with clinical signs of EPM. The researchers isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes (type of white blood cells) from all 42 subjects.
  • The isolated cells were co-cultured with SnSAG1 for 48 and 72 hours.
  • Cytokine production was then analyzed through reverse transcriptase PCR (a laboratory technique combining reverse transcription of RNA into DNA and amplification of specific DNA targets).
  • The cytokines assayed include gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and IL-6.
  • Beta-Actin, a well-studied protein abundant in cells, was used as the housekeeping gene to normalize the data and verify that the results are not attributed to sampling errors.

Findings

  • A significant decrease was found in the production of IFN-gamma, an important cytokine for innate and adaptive immunity, in horses with clinical EPM after 48 hours of co-culture.
  • There was also a notable increase in the production of IL-4, a cytokine that induces differentiation of helper T cells to Th2 cells, in horses with EPM after 72 hours of culture.
  • These findings reinforce the theory that the Sarcocystis neurona parasite can suppress the immune system of horses, reducing their ability to fight off the disease.

Cite This Article

APA
Spencer JA, Deinnocentes P, Moyana EM, Guarino AJ, Ellison SE, Bird RC, Blagburn BL. (2005). Cytokine gene expression in response to SnSAG1 in horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol, 12(5), 644-646. https://doi.org/10.1128/CDLI.12.5.644-646.2005

Publication

Clinical and diagnostic laboratory immunology
ISSN: 1071-412X
NlmUniqueID: 9421292
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 5
Pages: 644-646

Researcher Affiliations

Spencer, Jennifer A
  • Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA. spencja@vetmed.auburn.edu
Deinnocentes, Patricia
    Moyana, Edith M
      Guarino, Anthony J
        Ellison, Siobhan E
          Bird, R Curtis
            Blagburn, Byron L

              MeSH Terms

              • Animals
              • Antigens, Protozoan / pharmacology
              • Cells, Cultured
              • Cytokines / genetics
              • Encephalomyelitis / immunology
              • Encephalomyelitis / parasitology
              • Encephalomyelitis / veterinary
              • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology
              • Horse Diseases / genetics
              • Horse Diseases / parasitology
              • Horse Diseases / pathology
              • Horses
              • Immune Tolerance
              • Lymphocytes / metabolism
              • Lymphocytes / parasitology
              • Protozoan Proteins / pharmacology
              • RNA, Messenger / analysis
              • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
              • Sarcocystidae

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              Citations

              This article has been cited 4 times.
              1. Connick K, Lalor R, Murphy A, O'Neill SM, El Shanawany EE. Sarcocystis fusiformis whole cyst antigen activates pro-inflammatory dendritic cells. J Parasit Dis 2020 Mar;44(1):186-193.
                doi: 10.1007/s12639-019-01181-9pubmed: 32174724google scholar: lookup
              2. Witonsky S, Buechner-Maxwell V, Santonastasto A, Pleasant R, Werre S, Wagner B, Ellison S, Lindsay D. Can levamisole upregulate the equine cell-mediated macrophage (M1) dendritic cell (DC1) T-helper 1 (CD4 Th1) T-cytotoxic (CD8) immune response in vitro?. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Mar;33(2):889-896.
                doi: 10.1111/jvim.15404pubmed: 30693587google scholar: lookup
              3. Dubey JP, Howe DK, Furr M, Saville WJ, Marsh AE, Reed SM, Grigg ME. An update on Sarcocystis neurona infections in animals and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Vet Parasitol 2015 Apr 15;209(1-2):1-42.
                doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.01.026pubmed: 25737052google scholar: lookup
              4. Olias P, Meyer A, Klopfleisch R, Lierz M, Kaspers B, Gruber AD. Modulation of the host Th1 immune response in pigeon protozoal encephalitis caused by Sarcocystis calchasi. Vet Res 2013 Feb 11;44(1):10.
                doi: 10.1186/1297-9716-44-10pubmed: 23398807google scholar: lookup
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