Evaluation of aversive behavior in Rattus norvegicus experimentally infected by two distinct strains of Toxoplasma gondii (ME49 and VEG): study of epigenetic markers

ABSTRACT Background: Behavioral changes in Rattus norvegicus infected with two strains of Toxoplasma gondii (ME49 and VEG) were investigated. Methods: Rats were evaluated for motor activity and aversion or attraction to cat urine 60 days after infection. After euthanasia, arginine-vasopressin gene m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
Main Authors: Sergio Vieira dos Santos, Giulio de los Santos Fortuna, Lariane Monteiro Barbosa, Luciana Regina Meireles, Érico Silva Tiago, Pedro Paulo Chieffi
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2022
Subjects:
Toxoplasma gondii
ME49 and VEG strains
Rattus norvegicus
Behavior alterations
Arginine-vasopressin promoter gene
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Arctic
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0122-2022
https://doaj.org/article/f4f3deb83e3f4ceab63dcb63eb4a372a
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT Background: Behavioral changes in Rattus norvegicus infected with two strains of Toxoplasma gondii (ME49 and VEG) were investigated. Methods: Rats were evaluated for motor activity and aversion or attraction to cat urine 60 days after infection. After euthanasia, arginine-vasopressin gene methylation in the central nervous system was evaluated. Results: A significant difference was observed in the methylation of the arginine-vasopressin promoter gene between rats infected with the ME49 and VEG strains. Conclusions: Although differences were not observed in many parameters, significant differences were observed in the methylation of the arginine-vasopressin promoter gene in rats infected with the two studied strains.

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