Cytokine profiles and genetic variations based on mitochondrial ND1 and COX1 genes of Coenurus cerebralis in Türkiye

Coenurosis, caused by the metacestode (Coenurus cerebralis) of Taenia multiceps, is a significant zoonotic parasitic disease that primarily affects the small ruminants, resulting in economic difficulties within the livestock industry. This study first aimed to evaluate the expression of cytokines, including Interleukin (IL)-1β, 2, 6, 8, 10, 12, Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) and Interferon Gamma (IFN-γ) via immunohistochemical methods and the second objective was to performed molecular analyses including phylogenetic and haplotype assessments of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) genes of C. cerebralis isolates obtained from sheep in Türkiye. Ten sheep brains infected with C. cerebralis were examined. Foreign body granulomatous reactions were detected in six animals. All animals were recorded positive for immunohistochemically for TNF-α, IFN-γ, and Interleukins. Molecular analysis of the COX1 and ND1 genes positive results were obtained in twelve cysts from ten animals. The isolates revealed four different haplotypes out of 30 haplotypes for the COX1 gene and 9 distinct haplotypes (six unique) out of 46 for the ND1 gene. Among the two animals with multiple C. cerebralis cysts, ND1 sequencing revealed four distinct haplotypes, whereas COX1 sequencing showed that one of these animals harboured two distinct haplotypes. When potential relationships between the IHC results and the haplotype distributions of the cases were examined, no consistent association emerged between particular lineages and granuloma formation, clinical findings or cytokine expression profiles. These findings enhance the understanding of cytokine expression patterns and genetic diversity of C. cerebralis in Türkiye.