Innate immunity to Toxoplasma gondii infection.
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite of global importance. In the laboratory setting, T. gondii is frequently used as a model pathogen to study mechanisms of T helper 1 (TH1) cell-mediated immunity to intracellular infections. However, recent discoveries have shown that innate type 1 immune responses that involve interferon-γ (IFNγ)-producing natural killer (NK) cells and neutrophils, rather than IFNγ-producing T cells, predetermine host resistance to T. gondii. This Review summarizes the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent mechanisms that are responsible for parasite recognition and for the induction of IFNγ production by NK cells, as well as the emerging data about the TLR-independent mechanisms that lead to the IFNγ-mediated elimination of T. gondii.
Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390-9093, USA.
Felix
F
Yarovinsky
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000502:physiology; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / Q000502:physiology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000502:physiology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000276:immunology*
D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma