Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 modulates Toxoplasma gondii infection, immune response and lipid droplets formation in human trophoblast cells and villous explants.

ABSTRACT: Congenital toxoplasmosis is represented by the transplacental passage of Toxoplasma gondii from the mother to the fetus. Our studies demonstrated that T. gondii developed mechanisms to evade of the host immune response, such as cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) induction, and these mediators can be produced/stored in lipid droplets (LDs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of COX-2 and LDs during T. gondii infection in human trophoblast cells and villous explants. Our data demonstrated that COX-2 inhibitors decreased T. gondii replication in trophoblast cells and villous. In BeWo cells, the COX-2 inhibitors induced an increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and MIF), and a decrease in anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10). In H

SUBMITTER: de Souza G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8209052 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature