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Interferon-gamma-induced apoptosis in host cells infected with Neospora caninum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2001

Y. NISHIKAWA
Affiliation:
National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan Department of Global Agricultural Science, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan
M. MISHIMA
Affiliation:
National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
H. NAGASAWA
Affiliation:
National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
I. IGARASHI
Affiliation:
National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
K. FUJISAKI
Affiliation:
National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
H. OTSUKA
Affiliation:
Department of Global Agricultural Science, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan
T. MIKAMI
Affiliation:
National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan

Abstract

Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) has a crucial role for host defence against parasite infection. It is not clear, however, how IFN-γ affects the parasite-infected host cells. The effect of IFN-γ on Neospora caninum-infected cells was investigated in murine fibroblasts and canine kidney cells in vitro. In the presence of IFN-γ, the viability of the infected host cell was decreased and apoptotic cell death occurred, as analysed by DNA stainings with propidium iodide and a terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labelling (TUNEL) and DNA fragmentation. The percentage of apoptotic cells depended on the dose of IFN-γ. Flow cytometric analysis indicated a significant increase of FasL expression on the IFN-γ-treated cells following N. caninum infection. Moreover, IFN-γ treatment down-regulated Bcl-2 expression in the cells cultured with N. caninum while parasite infection up-regulated Bcl-2 expression. The present study suggests that the IFN-γ induced increases of FasL expression and down-regulated Bcl-2 expression in N. caninum-infected cells are associated with apoptosis in vitro.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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