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Systemic T Cell Response to Toxoplasma gondii Antigen in Patients with Ocular Toxoplasmosis

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Abstract

Purpose

Analysis of systemic cellular response to Toxoplasma antigen in patients with ocular toxoplasmosis.

Methods

Activated (CD25+) T cells were detected by flow cytometry after a 7-day culture of whole blood from patients with ocular (n = 16) or asymptomatic (n = 14) toxoplasmosis, and controls (n = 10), in the presence of soluble Toxoplasma antigen (ST-Ag). Interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL) 4, and IL-10 were measured in culture supernatants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Higher percentages of CD25+ T cells were detected in ST-Ag-activated cultures from Toxoplasma-infected patients, with or without ocular lesions (37.0 ± 19.1% or 41.1 ± 19.3%, respectively) than from controls (3.2 ± 1.2%) (P < 0.0001). Differences were not statistically significant between asymptomatic and ocular toxoplasmosis (P > 0.4) or among congenital, acquired, and undetermined ocular toxoplasmosis (P > 0.2). Higher levels of IFN-γ were detected in ST-Ag-stimulated blood cultures from infected patients than in those from controls (P < 0.0001), with no difference between patients with asymptomatic or ocular toxoplasmosis (P > 0.05). IL-10 was detected only in activated culture supernatants from three patients with ocular toxoplasmosis and two patients with asymptomatic toxoplasmosis. IL-4 was never produced in ST-Ag-activated cultures.

Conclusions

Systemic cellular response to ST-Ag does not differ between the patients with ocular and asymptomatic toxoplasmosis with regard to activation markers and type 1 cytokine production. Jpn J Ophthalmol 2006;50:103–110 © Japanese Ophthalmological Society 2006

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. E. A. 3087 Parasitologie, Faculté de Médecine, Lyon Nord, Université Cl. Bernard Lyon1, France

    Fatih Fatoohi, Martine Wallon & François Peyron

  2. Laboratoire d'Immunologie, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, France

    Fatih Fatoohi & Grégoire Jacques Noël Cozon

  3. Service de Parasitologie, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, France

    Martine Wallon & François Peyron

  4. Service d'Ophtalmologie, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, France

    Laurent Kodjikian

Authors
  1. Fatih Fatoohi
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  2. Grégoire Jacques Noël Cozon
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  3. Martine Wallon
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  4. Laurent Kodjikian
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  5. François Peyron
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Correspondence to Grégoire Jacques Noël Cozon.

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Fatoohi, F., Cozon, G., Wallon, M. et al. Systemic T Cell Response to Toxoplasma gondii Antigen in Patients with Ocular Toxoplasmosis. Jpn J Ophthalmol 50, 103–110 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10384-005-0295-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10384-005-0295-8

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