Toxoplasma gondii and the immunity-related GTPase (IRG) resistance system in mice - A Review

The immunity related GTPases (IRG proteins) constitute a large family of interferon-inducible proteins that mediate early resistance to Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice. At least six members of this family are required for resistance of mice to virulent T. gondii strains. Recent results have show...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 2009-03, Vol.104 (2), p.234-240
Main Authors: Zhao, Yang Oliver, Rohde, Christoph, Lilue, Jing Tao, Könen-Waisman, Stephanie, Khaminets, Aliaksandr, Hunn, Julia Petra, Howard, Jonathan Charles
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
evolution
GTP Phosphohydrolases - immunology
GTP Phosphohydrolases - metabolism
Host-Parasite Interactions - immunology
Immunity, Innate - immunology
Irgb6
Irgb6 - TGTP - LRG47 - virulence - evolution
LRG47
Mice
PARASITOLOGY
TGTP
Toxoplasma - immunology
Toxoplasma - pathogenicity
Toxoplasmosis, Animal - enzymology
Toxoplasmosis, Animal - immunology
TROPICAL MEDICINE
virulence
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Summary:The immunity related GTPases (IRG proteins) constitute a large family of interferon-inducible proteins that mediate early resistance to Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice. At least six members of this family are required for resistance of mice to virulent T. gondii strains. Recent results have shown that the complexity of the resistance arises from complex regulatory interactions between different family members. The mode of action against T. gondii depends on the ability of IRG proteins to accumulate on the parasitophorous vacuole of invading tachyzoites and to induce local damage to the vacuole resulting in disruption of the vacuolar membrane. Virulent strains of T. gondii overcome the IRG resistance system, probably by interfering with the loading of IRG proteins onto the parasitophorous vacuole membrane. It may be assumed that T. gondii strains highly virulent for mice will be disadvantaged in the wild due to the rapid extinction of the infected host, while it is self-evident that susceptibility to virulent strains is disadvantageous to the mouse host. We consider the possibility that this double disadvantage is compensated in wild populations by segregating alleles with different resistance and susceptibility properties in the IRG system.
ISSN:1678-8060
0074-0276
1678-8060
0074-0276
DOI:10.1590/s0074-02762009000200016