Parasitized natural killer cells do not facilitate the spread of toxoplasma gondii to the brain.

Petit-Jentreau, L.; Glover, C.; Coombes, J. L.

Abstract

Toxoplasmagondii is a protozoan parasite capable of invading immune cells and co-opting their migratory pathways to disseminate through the host. Natural Killer (NK) cells can be directly invaded by the parasite and this invasion alters NK cell migration, producing a hypermotile phenotype. However, the consequences of this hypermotile phenotype for the dissemination of T.gondii to the brain remain unknown. To address this, C57BL6/J mice were infected with freshly egressed tachyzoites (type IIPrugniaud strain) or with parasitized NK cells. Under both conditions, parasite loads in the brain were comparable, indicating that parasitized NK cells were not able to facilitate spread of T.gondii to the brain. Consistent with this, we found no evidence for the recruitment of endogenous NK cells to the brain at early time points post-infection, nor any changes in the expression of α4β1 integrin, involved in recruitment of NK cells to the brain. We therefore found no evidence for a role for hypermotile NK cells in delivery of parasites to the brain during acute infection with T.gondii.

Citation

PETIT-JENTREAU, L., GLOVER, C. and COOMBES, J.L. 2018. Parasitized natural killer cells do not facilitate the spread of toxoplasma gondiito the brain. Parasite immunology [online], 40(4), article e12522. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/pim.12522

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 25, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Mar 25, 2018
• Publication Date: Apr 30, 2018
• Deposit Date: May 3, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: May 3, 2022
• Journal: Parasite Immunology
• Print ISSN: 0141-9838
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-3024
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 40
• Issue: 4
• Article Number: e12522
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pim.12522
• Keywords: Integrins; NK cells; Toxoplasma gondii
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1580709