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Increased IL-27/IL-27R expression in association with the immunopathology of murine ocular toxoplasmosis

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Abstract

Interleukin 27 (IL-27) is a member of the IL-6/IL-12 family, and IL-27 receptor (IL-27R) consists of WSX-1 (the IL-27Rα subunit) and the signal-transducing subunit gp130. Human and mouse mast cells (MCs) express the IL-27R. To explore the expressions of IL-27/IL-27R subunits (WSX-1 and gp130) during acute ocular toxoplasmosis (OT), we established mouse model by intraocular injection of 500 Toxoplasma gondii RH strain tachyzoites. Histopathological changes were analyzed, MCs were counted by toluidine blue staining, and tryptase+/IL-27+ MCs were examined by immunofluorescence double-staining in the eyes and cervical lymph nodes (CLNs) of T. gondii-infected mice. The mRNA expressions of IL-27p28, WSX-1, gp130, and tachyzoite specific surface antigen 1 (SAG1) in the eyes and CLNs of T. gondii-infected mice, and the expressions of WSX-1 and gp130 in the murine mastocytoma cell line P815 infected with T. gondii tachyzoites in vitro were examined by using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Our results showed that, after T. gondii infection, severe histopathological changes, increased numbers of total MCs and degranulated MCs, elevated expressions of IL-27p28, WSX-1, and gp130 were found in the eyes and CLNs, and significant correlations between the levels of IL-27 and SAG1 existed in the eyes and CLNs of T. gondii-infected mice. In addition, increased levels of WSX-1 and gp130 were examined in T. gondii-infected P815 cells. Our data suggested that IL-27/IL-27R expression induced by T. gondii infection may regulate MC-mediated immune response during acute OT in mouse model.

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Financial support

Research reported in this publication was supported in part by the Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 81471973); the 2016 Medical Education Research Project of Chinese Medical Association Medical Education Branch and China Higher Education Society of Medical Education Professional Committee (2016B-KY013); the Education and Teaching Reform Project of Sun Yat-sen University, China (2016), and the National College Student Alliance for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Practice Project, China (SMPY1713).

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  1. Xinxin Tong and Shengjie Chen contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China

    Xinxin Tong, Shengjie Chen, Huanqin Zheng & Fangli Lu

  2. Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China

    Xinxin Tong, Shengjie Chen, Huanqin Zheng & Fangli Lu

  3. School of Stomatology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China

    Shiguang Huang

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  1. Xinxin Tong
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  2. Shengjie Chen
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Correspondence to Shiguang Huang or Fangli Lu.

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All experiments were performed in compliance with the requirements of the Animal Ethics Committee at Sun Yat-sen University.

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Section Editor: Kevin S.W. Tan

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Tong, X., Chen, S., Zheng, H. et al. Increased IL-27/IL-27R expression in association with the immunopathology of murine ocular toxoplasmosis. Parasitol Res 117, 2255–2263 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-5914-7

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