Strain-dependent host responses in chicken embryonic fibroblasts infected with Toxoplasma gondii [ME49, CEP, and Mock]

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan pathogen able to infect both mammalian and avian hosts. Surprisingly, just three strains appear to account for the majority of isolates from Europe and N. America. To test the hypothesis that strain divergence might be driven by differences between mammalian and avian response to infection, we examine in vitro strain-dependent host responses in a representative avian host, the chicken. Chicken embryonic fibroblasts were cultivated in vitro and infected with different strains of Toxoplasma gondii (Type II = ME49, Type III = CEP); host transcriptional responses were then analyzed at 24 hours post-infection.刚地弓形虫（Toxoplasma gondii）是一种广泛分布的原生动物病原体，可感染哺乳类与鸟类宿主。令人意外的是，仅三种虫株便覆盖了欧洲与北美的绝大多数弓形虫分离株。为验证“虫株分化或许由哺乳类与鸟类宿主对感染的应答差异所驱动”这一假说，本研究以代表性鸟类宿主——鸡为模型，开展了虫株依赖性宿主应答的体外检测。研究人员体外培养鸡胚成纤维细胞，并用不同株的刚地弓形虫（II型=ME49、III型=CEP）感染细胞；随后于感染后24小时分析宿主的转录应答反应。