title: Lack of a Functioning P2X7 Receptor Leads to Increased Susceptibility to Toxoplasmic Ileitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral infection of C57BL/6J mice with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii leads to a lethal inflammatory ileitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice lacking the purinergic receptor P2X7R are acutely susceptible to toxoplasmic ileitis, losing significantly more weight than C57BL/6J mice and exhibiting much greater intestinal inflammatory pathology in response to infection with only 10 cysts of T. gondii. This susceptibility is not dependent on the ability of P2X7R-deficient mice to control the parasite, which they accomplish just as efficiently as C57BL/6J mice. Rather, susceptibility is associated with elevated ileal concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines, reactive nitrogen intermediates and altered regulation of elements of NFκB activation in P2X7R-deficient mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data support the thesis that P2X7R, a well-documented activator of pro-inflammatory cytokine production, also plays an important role in the regulation of intestinal inflammation.
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, McGregor Rd, Smithfield, Queensland, 4878, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Institute for the Biotechnology of Infectious Diseases, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: Alana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zakrzewski
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-0425, United States of America.
authors.forename: Dionne P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School, Nepean Campus, Nepean Hospital, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.affiliation: Queensland Tropical Health Alliance Research Laboratory, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, McGregor Rd, Smithfield, Queensland, 4878, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Institute for the Biotechnology of Infectious Diseases, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: Rowan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ikin
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Science and Bosch Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Shisan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-0425, United States of America.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Grigg
authors.affiliation: The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wiley
authors.affiliation: Queensland Tropical Health Alliance Research Laboratory, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, McGregor Rd, Smithfield, Queensland, 4878, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D007079:Ileitis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7 / Q000172:deficiency*; D014122:Toxoplasma; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D016328:NF-kappa B; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7