title: BeWo trophoblasts are unable to control replication of Toxoplasma gondii, even in the presence of exogenous IFN-gamma.
abstract: The ability of RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii to invade and grow into BeWo cells was investigated in the present study using IFN-gamma, l-tryptophan, or alpha-methyl-tryptophan treatments. HeLa cells were used in the same conditions for comparison purposes. It was demonstrated that BeWo cells are more permissive to T. gondii infection, making them more susceptible to this pathogen when compared to HeLa cells. Infection rates of BeWo cells do not show any significant alteration in different protocols using IFN-gamma. In addition, BeWo treated with l-tryptophan was unable to significantly increase parasite growth. In contrast, HeLa cells treated with IFN-gamma or IFN-gamma plus l-tryptophan are able to impair or increase, respectively, parasite replication, providing evidence that this indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase-dependent phenomenon is operant in these cells, whereas it is inactive in BeWo. Therefore, our data support the hypothesis that the immunological mechanisms controlling infection at the maternal-fetal interface are different from those occurring in the periphery. At the same time that operating regulatory mechanisms work inside and outside the cells located at that microenvironment to prevent maternal rejection of the concept, these events might facilitate the progression of infection caused by intracellular pathogens, as T. gondii.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Histology and Embriology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Pará 1720, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil 38400-902.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: A A D
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: G L S
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mineo
authors.forename: E A V
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ferro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000469:parasitology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D004338:Drug Combinations; C020774:alpha-methyltryptophan; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D014364:Tryptophan