Elsevier

Microbes and Infection

Volume 13, Issue 1, January 2011, Pages 96-102
Microbes and Infection

Short communication
Migratory responses of leukocytes infected with Toxoplasma gondii

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micinf.2010.10.002Get rights and content
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Abstract

Recently, monocytic cells were suggested to systemically transport Toxoplasma tachyzoites during acute infection in mice. The mechanism underlying this shuttling function may partly be explained by dramatically enhanced host-cell motility upon parasite invasion. Here, we report that infection of human and murine macrophages in vitro resulted in augmented migration across a transwell membrane, linked to host-cell differentiation and to the parasite genotype. The hypermotility phenotype was absent in infected monocytes, NK, B or T-cells. In contrast to previous observations with dendritic cells, adoptive transfer of infected macrophages or lymphocytes did not exacerbate infection in mice compared to inoculation with free parasites.

Keywords

Apicomplexa
Parasitic infection
Macrophage
Dendritic cell
Host pathogen interactions
Cell migration

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