The production of a 70 kDa heat shock protein by Toxoplasma gondii RH strain in immunocompromised mice

Miller, C.M.D., Akratos, C., Johnson, A.M., and Smith, N.C. (2000) The production of a 70 kDa heat shock protein by Toxoplasma gondii RH strain in immunocompromised mice. International Journal for Parasitology, 30 (14). pp. 1467-1473.

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Abstract

A 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) has been reported previously to be strongly expressed in virulent Toxoplasma gondii strains taken from immunocompetent mice but it is poorly expressed by virulent parasites in mice immunocompromised by treatment with cortisone acetate or by virulent parasites cultured in vitro. Immune factors such as interferon-γ, tumour necrosis factor and reactive nitrogen intermediates derived from nitric oxide are known to be important inducers of HSP70 production and are also known to be produced during the immune response to acute T. gondii infection. The ability of these immune factors to induce T. gondii HSP70 production was tested by analysing HSP70 production in tachyzoites of the virulent RH strain of T. gondii recovered from mice deficient in: (1) T cells (nude mice); (2) T and B cells (SCID mice); (3) interferon-γ receptors (interferon-γ receptor knockout mice); and (4) tumour necrosis factor receptors (tumour necrosis factor receptor knockout mice). Parasites from nude and SCID mice produced as much HSP70 as immunocompetent mice. Likewise, T. gondii tachyzoites from mice lacking receptors for interferon-γ or tumour necrosis factor produced HSP70 in quantities similar to wild-type mice. The ability to produce reactive nitrogen intermediates in response to T. gondii infection, as detected by elevated levels of nitrate and nitrite in sera, was normal in tumour necrosis factor receptor knockout mice but was completely lacking in interferon-γ receptor knockout mice, indicating that reactive nitrogen intermediates are also not responsible for induction of parasite HSP70. Thus, immune factors that induce HSP70 production in mammalian cells do not appear to play primary roles in inducing HSP70 production by T. gondii.

Item ID: 34604
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1879-0135
Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; heat shock protein; interferon-g; tumor necrosis factor; reactive nitrogen intermediates; knockout mice
Funders: Australian Research Council (ARC), University of Technology, Sydney
Date Deposited: 26 Aug 2014 04:25
FoR Codes: 07 AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES > 0707 Veterinary Sciences > 070705 Veterinary Immunology @ 40%
07 AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES > 0707 Veterinary Sciences > 070708 Veterinary Parasitology @ 40%
11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1107 Immunology > 110707 Innate Immunity @ 20%
SEO Codes: 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 50%
97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970111 Expanding Knowledge in the Medical and Health Sciences @ 50%
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