A role of carboxy-terminal region of Toxoplasma gondii-heat shock protein 70 in enhancement of T. gondii infection in mice

  • Mun, Hye-Seong (Department of Parasitology, Chiba University School of Medicine) ;
  • Norose, Kazumi (Department of Parasitology, Chiba University School of Medicine) ;
  • Aosai, Fumie (Department of Parasitology, Chiba University School of Medicine) ;
  • Chen, Mei (Department of Parasitology, Chiba University School of Medicine) ;
  • Yano, Akihiko (Department of Parasitology, Chiba University School of Medicine)
  • Published : 2000.06.01

Abstract

We investigated the role of recombinant Toxoplasma gondii heat shock protein (rT.g.HSP) 70-full length, rT.g. HSP70-NH2-terminal region, or rT.g. HSP70-carboxy-terminal region in prophylactic immunity in C57BL/6 mice perorally infected with Fukaya cysts of T. gondii. At 3, 4, 5, and 6 weeks after infection, the number of T gondii in the brain tissue of each mouse was measured by quantitative competitive-polymerase chain reaction (QC-PCR) targeting the surface antigen (SAG) 1 gene. Immunization with rT.g.HSP70-full length or rT.g.HSP70-carboxy-terminal region increased the number of T. gondii in the brain tissue after T. gondii infection, whereas immunization with rT.g.HSP70-NHa-terminal region did not. These results suggest that T.g. HSP70-carboxy-terminal region as well as T.g.HSP70-full length may induce deleterious effects on the protective immunity of mice infected with a cyst-forming T. gondii strain, Fukaya.

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