Toxoplasma co-opts host gene expression by injection of a polymorphic kinase homologue.

Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, can cause severe disease in humans with an immature or suppressed immune system. The outcome of Toxoplasma infection is highly dependent on the strain type, as are many of its in vitro growth properties. Here we use genetic crosses between type II and III lines to show that strain-specific differences in the modulation of host cell transcription are mediated by a putative protein kinase, ROP16. Upon invasion by the parasite, this polymorphic protein is released from the apical organelles known as rhoptries and injected into the host cell, where it ultimately affects the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signalling pathways and consequent downstream effects on a key host cytokine, interleukin (IL)-12. Our findings provide a new mechanism for how an intracellular eukaryotic pathogen can interact with its host and reveal important differences in how different Toxoplasma lineages have evolved to exploit this interaction.

Polymorphic secreted kinases are key virulence factors in toxoplasmosis.

The majority of known Toxoplasma gondii isolates from Europe and North America belong to three clonal lines that differ dramatically in their virulence, depending on the host. To identify the responsible genes, we mapped virulence in F(1) progeny derived from crosses between type II and type III strains, which we introduced into mice. Five virulence (VIR) loci were thus identified, and for two of these, genetic complementation showed that a predicted protein kinase (ROP18 and ROP16, respectively) is the key molecule. Both are hypervariable rhoptry proteins that are secreted into the host cell upon invasion. These results suggest that secreted kinases unique to the Apicomplexa are crucial in the host-pathogen interaction.

Immune modulation by fish kinetoplastid parasites: a role for nitric oxide.

Trypanoplasma borreli and Trypanosoma carassii are kinetoplastid parasites infecting cyprinid fish. We investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in immune modulation during T. borreli and T. carassii infection of carp. Phagocytic cells from different organs produced NO and serum nitrate levels increased, demonstrating that T. borreli activates NO production in vivo. In contrast, T. carassii did not induce NO production in vivo and inhibited LPS-induced NO production in vitro. Production of NO was detrimental to the host as T. borreli-infected carp treated with the inducible NO synthase inhibitor aminoguanidine had a higher survival than infected control carp. This detrimental effect can be explained (in part) by the toxicity of NO to cells in vitro as NO inhibited the proliferative response of blood and spleen leukocytes. Head-kidney phagocytes were resistant to the immunosuppressive effects of NO in vitro. The NO-inducing activity of T. borreli may be an adaptation developed to ensure survival and immune evasion in the fish host. Apparently, T. carassii has adopted another strategy by deactivating specific functions of phagocytes. Both strategies may ensure long-term survival of the parasite.