title: Roles of IFN-gamma on stage conversion of an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii.
abstract: IFN-gamma downregulates the stage conversion of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), from bradyzoites to tachyzoites, and the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) of T. gondii (T.g.HSP70) by tachyzoites. T.g.HSP70 has been shown to downregulate NO release from macrophages and also to induce auto-HSP70 antibody formation and IL-10 secretion by VH11-JH1 B-1 cells, resulting in the suppression of host defense responses to T. gondii infection. A novel category of virulent tachyzoite stage of T. gondii expressing T.g.HSP70 (virulent tachyzoite), which indirectly manifests its pathogenicity by downregulating host defense responses, has been proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection and Host Defense, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. yano@med.m.chiba-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Hye-Seong
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Mun
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Kazumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Norose
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Fumie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aosai
authors.forename: Yoichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwakura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma