Background and Aim: Toxoplasma infection is mainly latent and cause severe disease only if reactivation occurs especially for brain cysts. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of BM-MSCs on murine chronic toxoplasmosis experimental model.
Methods: Female Swiss albino mice (n=100) were divided into 5 groups (20 mice each). Group I (infected, injected with BM-MSCs); Group II (infected, treated with BM-MSCs and Spiramycin-Metronidazole); Group III (infected, treated with Spiramycin-Metronidazole); Group IV (infection control) and Group V (non infected, injected with BM-MSCs).
Results: In Regarding the mean Toxoplasma brain cyst count, after 7 and 14 days, group I was significantly lower than group II, higher than group III and non-statistically different from group IV. Group II was significantly higher than in groups III and IV. Group III showed a significant decrease in brain cyst count versus group IV. As regards the histopathological examination of brain sections, after 7 and 14 days, group I showed the least histopathological inflammatory changes which was significantly lower than that of group IV. Group II revealed the most profound histopathological inflammatory changes. Group III showed mild to moderate inflammatory changes with a non-significant difference from group IV. As regards the survival rate, the group I showed the highest, group II showed the lowest mean survival time, which was statistically significant versus group IV. Group III showed a non-significant difference versus group IV.
Conclusion: MSCs have an anti-inflammatory effect and prolong the survival of T. gondii infected mice; however, they have a non