Monocytes mediate mucosal immunity to Toxoplasma gondii

Curr Opin Immunol. 2010 May 26. [Epub ahead of print]

Monocytes mediate mucosal immunity to Toxoplasma gondii

Dunay IR, Sibley LD.

Department of Neuropathology, University of Freiburg, Breisacherstrasse 64, Freiburg 79106, Germany.

Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread protozoan parasite that causes water and foodborne infections in humans. The parasite not only infects intestinal enterocytes but also spreads by migration across the epithelial layer and entry into the submucosa. Within the lamina propria, innate immune responses lead to initial parasite control, although the infection disseminates widely and persists chronically despite adaptive immunity. Inflammatory monocytes exit the bone marrow and home to the lamina propria where they express antimicrobial effector functions that control infection. Ablation of the signals for recruitment of inflammatory monocytes in the mouse results in uncontrolled parasite replication, extensive infiltration of neutrophils, intestinal necrosis, and rapid death. Inflammatory monocytes play a pivotal role in mucosal immunity against T. gondii, and likely other enteric pathogens. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PMID: 20537517 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]