The Sex-Specific Changes in Gene Expression and Behavior Induced by Chronic Toxoplasma Infection in Mice
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ABSTRACT: The goal of this study was to identify the neural systems that underlie the behavorial changes in intermediate hosts of Toxoplasma gondii. Using a mouse whole genome microarray, we analyzed gene expression in the frontal cortex during the latent stages of infection. We found marked sex-dependent effects on gene transcription in mice. In female mice, Toxoplasma infection altered the expression of genes involved in the development of the forebrain, neurogenesis, sensory and motor coordination. In male mice, infection led mainly to modulation of genes associated with olfaction. Our results indicate that the gender of the host plays a major role in determining variable brain changes following Toxoplasma infection. Male and female BALB/c mice (infected female: n=5; infected male: n=5; female control: n=5; male control: n=4) were used in this study. They were sacrificed approximately 6 month post infection and the frontal cortices harvested. RNA transcript levels were quantified by microarray analyses using Illumina Mouse Ref-8 v2.0 Expression BeadChips.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
SUBMITTER: JC xiao
PROVIDER: E-GEOD-31207 | biostudies-arrayexpress |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress
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