Systemic T cell response to Toxoplasma gondii antigen in patients with ocular toxoplasmosis.
OBJECTIVE
Analysis of systemic cellular response to Toxoplasma antigen in patients with ocular toxoplasmosis.


METHODS
Activated (CD25(+)) T cells were detected by flow cytometry after a 7-day culture of whole blood from patients with ocular (n = 16) or asymptomatic (n = 14) toxoplasmosis, and controls (n = 10), in the presence of soluble Toxoplasma antigen (ST-Ag). Interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL) 4, and IL-10 were measured in culture supernatants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Higher percentages of CD25(+) T cells were detected in ST-Ag-activated cultures from Toxoplasma-infected patients, with or without ocular lesions (37.0 +/- 19.1% or 41.1 +/- 19.3%, respectively) than from controls (3.2 +/- 1.2%) (P < 0.0001). Differences were not statistically significant between asymptomatic and ocular toxoplasmosis (P > 0.4) or among congenital, acquired, and undetermined ocular toxoplasmosis (P > 0.2). Higher levels of IFN-gamma were detected in ST-Ag-stimulated blood cultures from infected patients than in those from controls (P < 0.0001), with no difference between patients with asymptomatic or ocular toxoplasmosis (P > 0.05). IL-10 was detected only in activated culture supernatants from three patients with ocular toxoplasmosis and two patients with asymptomatic toxoplasmosis. IL-4 was never produced in ST-Ag-activated cultures.


CONCLUSIONS
Systemic cellular response to ST-Ag does not differ between the patients with ocular and asymptomatic toxoplasmosis with regard to activation markers and type 1 cytokine production.
Fatoohi
Fatih
F
E. A. 3087 Parasitologie, Faculté de Médecine, Lyon Nord, Université Cl. Bernard Lyon1, France.
Cozon
Grégoire Jacques Noël
GJ
Wallon
Martine
M
Kodjikian
Laurent
L
Peyron
François
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014126:Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015415:Biomarkers; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma