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Murine leukocytes stimulation by Toxoplasma gondii antigens induces high level of IFN-γ production

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Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular parasitic protozoan, infecting a wide range of warm-blooded vertebrates. It is important for T. gondii to balance the response between cellular and humoral immune system for various aspects of its own survival. The aim of this study was to determine the level of IFN-γ and IL-4 production by murine peritoneal leukocytes stimulated with T. gondii lysate antigens (TLAs), excretory/secretory antigens (ESAs), and a combination of them (TLAs:ESAs). TLAs, ESAs, and TLA + ESA, considered as the experimental groups, were prepared and used to stimulate murine peritoneal leukocytes. The level of the IFN-γ and IL-4 secreted by the stimulated leukocytes was measured. In addition, untreated and phytohemagglutinin-treated groups were considered as negative and positive controls, respectively. As compared to the negative control, the level of IL-4 was lower in each of the experimental groups (P < 0.05); however, no statistically significant difference was observed between the positive control and each of the experimental groups (P > 0.05). Moreover, there was a significant difference for the level of IFN-γ between each of the experimental groups and both negative and positive controls (P < 0.05). The findings showed that the antigens of T. gondii were able to increase the IFN-γ production and decrease the level of IL-4 production.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Mrs. Mahin Ghafourzadeh for their kind assistance at the laboratory.

Funding

The Vice Chancellor of Research and Technology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services provided funding for this study (grant no: 795).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran

    Ali Fattahi-Bafghi & Farzaneh Mirzaei

  2. Department of Histopathology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran

    Aghdas Mirjalili

  3. Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran

    Mohammad Kazemi Arababadi

  4. Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Roghiyeh Faridnia

  5. Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Mahdi Fakhar

  6. Infectious Diseases Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

    Hamed Kalani

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  1. Ali Fattahi-Bafghi
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  2. Farzaneh Mirzaei
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  3. Aghdas Mirjalili
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  4. Mohammad Kazemi Arababadi
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  5. Roghiyeh Faridnia
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  6. Mahdi Fakhar
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  7. Hamed Kalani
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Correspondence to Hamed Kalani.

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Fattahi-Bafghi, A., Mirzaei, F., Mirjalili, A. et al. Murine leukocytes stimulation by Toxoplasma gondii antigens induces high level of IFN-γ production. Comp Clin Pathol 29, 533–537 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-020-03091-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-020-03091-2

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