Maternal-fetal transmission of Toxoplasma gondii in interferon-gamma deficient pregnant mice.
Toxoplasma gondii infection is generally asymptomatic in immunocompetent persons but can be life-threatening in immunocompromised persons and for fetuses in the case of maternal-fetal transmission. The effect of interferon (IFN)-gamma, which plays a crucial role in the protective immunity against T. gondii infection, on maternal-fetal transmission of T. gondii was analyzed by quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction targeting T. gondii-specific SAG1 gene. T. gondii loads were obvious in uterus and placenta of wild type (WT) C57BL/6 (B6, susceptible strain) but not BALB/c (resistant strain) pregnant mice. Higher levels of T. gondii were detected in uterus and placenta of IFN-gamma knock-out (GKO) B6 and BALB/c than in those of WT mice. Furthermore, T. gondii was detected in fetus of GKO B6 but not GKO BALB/c, WT B6, or WT BALB/c mice. Thus, not only IFN-gamma but also genetic susceptibility to T. gondii infection was important for the protective immunity of maternal-fetal transmission of T. gondii to fetus via placenta. T. gondii-infected WT mice displayed a low delivery rate with high IFN-gamma production, whereas infected GKO mice did not. Additionally, mean body weight of neonates from T. gondii-infected GKO BALB/c pregnant mice was significantly lower than that of unaborted neonates from WT BALB/c pregnant mice, suggesting the effects of T. gondii infection on intrauterine growth retardation of fetus in pregnant GKO mice.
Shiono
Yuko
Y
Department of Infection and Host Defense, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
Mun
Hye-Seong
HS
He
Na
N
Nakazaki
Yuka
Y
Fang
Hao
H
Furuya
Mitsuko
M
Aosai
Fumie
F
Yano
Akihiko
A
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010920:Placenta / Q000469:parasitology; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D014122:Toxoplasma; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology
D007371:Interferon-gamma