AUTHOR=Larrazabal Camilo , Hermosilla Carlos , Taubert Anja , Silva Liliana M. R. 

TITLE=Besnoitia besnoiti tachyzoite replication in bovine primary endothelial cells relies on host Niemann–Pick type C protein 1 for cholesterol acquisition

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1454855

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2024.1454855

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Besnoitia besnoiti</italic> is a cyst-forming apicomplexan parasite and the causal agent of bovine besnoitiosis. During early phase of infection, tachyzoites replicate within host endothelial cells in a host cell cholesterol-dependent process. By applying U18666A treatments, we here evaluated the role of Niemann–Pick type C protein 1 (NPC1) in both, intracellular <italic>B. besnoiti</italic> replication and host cellular cholesterol distribution. Additionally, <italic>B. besnoiti</italic>-driven changes in NPC1 gene transcription were studied by qPCR. Overall, U18666A treatments significantly reduced <italic>B. besnoiti</italic> proliferation and induced cholesterol accumulation in host cytoplasmic dense vesicles. However, NPC1 gene transcription was not affected by <italic>B. besnoiti</italic> infection.</p>