A simple method to detect Toxoplasma gondii-specific cytotoxic T cells in vivo.
Cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) are an important component of adaptive immunity. The study of antigen-specific CTLs in vivo is desirable yet difficult. Identification of the class I-restricted peptide used by CTLs for target recognition is often required for detailed studies, but is generally not known for most antigens. Toxoplasma gondii is a medically important, obligate intracellular parasite and is often used as a model for studies of parasite immunology. No class I-restricted peptides for CTLs are known. We show here a new and convenient method to detect T. gondii-specific CTLs in vivo. We engineered T. gondii tachyzoites to express the model antigen ovalbumin, for which many useful reagents and transgenic mice are available. Using ovalbumin-transgenic T. gondii tachyzoites, antigen-specific CTLs were detected in vivo, and at much earlier time points post-infection than previously reported. This new method has several additional advantages over current methods to detect T. gondii-specific CTLs.
Cancer Therapy & Research Center at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 2040 Babcock Road, Suite 201, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. danielb@uthscsa.edu
Benjamin J
BJ
Daniel
Srilakshmi
S
Pandeswara
Michael J
MJ
Brumlik
Aijie
A
Liu
Suzanne R
SR
Thibodeaux
Sara M
SM
Ludwig
Xiuhua
X
Sun
Tyler J
TJ
Curiel
D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018448:Models, Immunological; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D010047:Ovalbumin