| First Author | Béla SR | Year | 2012 |
| Journal | Infect Immun | Volume | 80 |
| Issue | 12 | Pages | 4298-308 |
| PubMed ID | 23027530 | Mgi Jnum | J:190601 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5449288 | Doi | 10.1128/IAI.00328-12 |
| Citation | Bela SR, et al. (2012) Impaired innate immunity in mice deficient in interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 leads to defective type 1 T cell responses, B cell expansion, and enhanced susceptibility to infection with Toxoplasma gondii. Infect Immun 80(12):4298-308 |
| abstractText | Interleukin-1 receptor (IL1R)-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) is a member of the IRAK family and has an important role in inducing the production of inflammatory mediators. This kinase is downstream of MyD88, an adaptor protein essential for Toll-like receptor (TLR) function. We investigated the role of this kinase in IRAK4-deficient mice orally infected with the cystogenic ME49 strain of Toxoplasma gondii. IRAK4(-/-) mice displayed higher morbidity, tissue parasitism, and accelerated mortality than the control mice. The lymphoid follicles and germinal centers from infected IRAK4(-/-) mice were significantly smaller. We consistently found that IRAK4(-/-) mice showed a defect in splenic B cell activation and expansion as well as diminished production of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) by T lymphocytes. The myeloid compartment was also affected. Both the frequency and ability of dendritic cells (DCs) and monocytes/macrophages to produce IL-12 were significantly decreased, and resistance to infection with Toxoplasma was rescued by treating IRAK4(-/-) mice with recombinant IL-12 (rIL-12). Additionally, we report the association of IRAK4 haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tag-SNPs) with congenital toxoplasmosis in infected individuals (rs1461567 and rs4251513, P < 0.023 and P < 0.045, respectively). Thus, signaling via IRAK4 is essential for the activation of innate immune cells, development of parasite-specific acquired immunity, and host resistance to infection with T. gondii. |
