title: Toxoplasma gondii-derived heat shock protein HSP70 functions as a B cell mitogen.
abstract: We have investigated the role of Toxoplasma gondii-derived heat shock protein 70 (TgHSP70) as a B cell mitogen by measuring proliferative responses in vitro. TgHSP70 induced prominent proliferative responses in murine B cells derived not only from T gondii-infected but also from uninfected mice. Nude mice responded to TgHSP70; however, severe combined immunodeficiency, RAG1-/- B6, and microMT mice failed to respond. B220+ spleen cells showed marked proliferation after stimulation with TgHSP70, but neither CD4+ nor CD8+ population responded. This unresponsiveness of CD4+ and CD8- T cells to TgHSP70 was antigen presenting cells independent. These data indicate that TgHSP70 induced the proliferation of B cells but not T cells. Polymyxin B, a potent inhibitor of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), did not eliminate TgHSP70-induced proliferation. C3H/HeN mice responded well to TgHSP70 stimulation; however, C3H/HeJ mice carrying a point mutation in the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 failed to respond. This indicates that TLR4 is required for TgHSP70-induced B cell activation. The involvement of TLR4 in the TgHSP70-induced proliferative responses of spleen cells was also shown by the use of TLR4-/- mice. But TgHSP70-induced, but not LPS-induced, spleen cell proliferation was observed in MyD88-/- mice, indicating that the MyD88 molecule was involved in LPS-induced proliferation but not in TgHSP70-induced proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection and Host Defense, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuoku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aosai
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hyun-Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Hye-Seong
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Mun
authors.forename: Kazumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Norose
authors.forename: Lian Xun
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Piao
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Shizuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akira
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yano
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008934:Mitogens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D011112:Polymyxin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008934:Mitogens; C507780:Myd88 protein, mouse; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; C064658:RAG-1 protein; D011112:Polymyxin B