Estudos de Citotoxicidade Celular em culturas mistas de ratos infectadas in vitro com Neospora caninum e tratadas com mel de Jataí (Tetragonisca angustula)

Abstract

Neospora caninum is an intracellular parasite that causes neosporosis. This disease affects many species, causing abortions and neurologic disorders. Recently studies involving N. caninum demonstrated that glial cells have been considered a valid model of in vitro infection for this protozoan. Glial cells play important role in the protection of the central nervous system. Once honey has been used since ancient times to control infections and inflammatory reactions, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 1% Jataí (Tetragonisca angustula) honey treatment in glial cells, infected in vitro with N. caninum. Astrocytes and microglias mixed cultures were treated with 1% of honey after eighth day in cell culture. On the day 15 cultures were infected with tachyzoites of N. caninum. After 72 hours of infection, mitochondrial metabolism, lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH), production of nitric oxide (NO) and total number of parasites were studies in cultures. Treatment with 1% honey had an increase of mitochondrial metabolism, cell permeability, and in the levels of nitric oxide. Cultures with an increase in the nitrite production can indicate microglial activation. The NO values found in this study, could represent a beginning of an immune response against the tachyzoites of N. caninum, since this could reduce the number of tachyzoites. Thus it is suggested that honey exerted a protective effect on the cultures of astrocytes and microglia infected with N. caninum.