Rabbit antibodies against Toxoplasma Hsp20 are able to reduce parasite invasion and gliding motility in Toxoplasma gondii and parasite invasion in Neospora caninum.

ABSTRACT

Toxoplasma gondii Hsp20 is a pellicle-associated functional chaperone whose biological role is still unknown. Hsp20 is present in different apicomplexan parasites, showing a high degree of conservation across the phylum, with Neospora caninum Hsp20 presenting an 82% identity to that of T. gondii. Hence rabbit anti-T. gondii Hsp20 serum was able to recognize the N. caninum counterpart. Interestingly, both N. caninum and T. gondii Hsp20 localized to the inner membrane complex and to the plasma membrane. Incubation of T. gondii and N. caninum tachyzoites with an anti-TgHsp20 serum reduced parasite invasion at rates of 57.23% and 54.7%, respectively. This anti-serum also reduced T. gondii gliding 48.7%. Together, all this data support a role for Hsp20 in parasite invasion and gliding motility.