Toxoplasma gondii infection impairs the colonic motility of rats due to loss of myenteric neurons.

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii infection causes intestinal inflammation and diarrhea indicating possible intestinal motor dysfunction. Anatomical studies have shown alterations in the colonic myenteric plexus, but it is unknown whether this impacts motility and therefore whether motility is a target for treatment. We determined whether colonic coordinated movements are compromised by toxoplasmic infection and how it is associated with anatomical changes. Male Wistar rats were evaluated at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72hours and 30days postinfection (dpi) and controls. Infected rats received orally 5×103 sporulated oocysts of strain ME-49 (genotype II) of Tgondii. The colon was collected for anatomical analysis (including the myenteric plexus immunolabeled with HuC/D, nNOS, and ChAT) and motility analysis in vitro (conventional manometry). Fecal output was measured daily. At 12hours postinfection, Tgondii caused hypertrophy of the muscularis externa layer of the distal colon. There was loss of total, nitrergic, and cholinergic myenteric neurons in the proximal colon at 30day postinfection (dpi); however, only loss of cholinergic neurons was found in the distal colon. Contractile complexes in the middle and distal colon were longer in duration in infected animals, which was associated with slower migration of the colonic motor complex. However, gastrointestinal transit time and fecal pellet output remained unchanged during the Tgondii infection. Toxoplasma gondii caused myenteric neuronal loss in the proximal and distal colon and altered the motility pattern in the middle and distal colon to a more propulsive phenotype.