Korean J Parasitol.  2012 Mar;50(1):7-13. 10.3347/kjp.2012.50.1.7.

Gene Expression Profiles in Genetically Different Mice Infected with Toxoplasma gondii: ALDH1A2, BEX2, EGR2, CCL3 and PLAU

• Ismail HA
• Quan JH
• Wei Z
• Choi IW
• Cha GH
• Shin DW
• Lee YH
• Song CJ

• KMID: 1364889
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2012.50.1.7

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii can modulate host cell gene expression; however, determining gene expression levels in intermediate hosts after T. gondii infection is not known much. We selected 5 genes (ALDH1A2, BEX2, CCL3, EGR2 and PLAU) and compared the mRNA expression levels in the spleen, liver, lung and small intestine of genetically different mice infected with T. gondii. ALDH1A2 mRNA expressions of both mouse strains were markedly increased at day 1-4 postinfection (PI) and then decreased, and its expressions in the spleen and lung were significantly higher in C57BL/6 mice than those of BALB/c mice. BEX2 and CCR3 mRNA expressions of both mouse strains were significantly increased from day 7 PI and peaked at day 15-30 PI (P<0.05), especially high in the spleen liver or small intestine of C57BL/6 mice. EGR2 and PLAU mRNA expressions of both mouse strains were significantly increased after infection, especially high in the spleen and liver. However, their expression patterns were varied depending on the tissue and mouse strain. Taken together, T. gondii-susceptible C57BL/6 mice expressed higher levels of these 5 genes than did T. gondii-resistant BALB/c mice, particularly in the spleen and liver. And ALDH1A2 and PLAU expressions were increased acutely, whereas BEX2, CCL3 and EGR2 expressions were increased lately. Thus, these demonstrate that host genetic factors exert a strong impact on the expression of these 5 genes and their expression patterns were varied depending on the gene or tissue.

Keyword

Toxoplasma gondii; RT-PCR; mouse; ALDH1A2; BEX2; CCL3; EGR2; PLAU

MeSH Terms

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase/*genetics/metabolism
Animals
Brain/metabolism/parasitology
Chemokine CCL3/*genetics/metabolism
Early Growth Response Protein 2/*genetics/metabolism
Gene Expression Profiling
Humans
Lung/metabolism/parasitology
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Inbred Strains
Nerve Tissue Proteins/*genetics/metabolism
Organ Specificity
Spleen/metabolism/virology
Toxoplasma/*physiology
Toxoplasmosis/*genetics/metabolism/parasitology
Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator/*genetics/metabolism