Open AccessTransepithelial migration of Toxoplasma gondii involves an interaction of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM‐1) with the parasite adhesin MIC2
Author(s) -
Barragan Antonio,
Brossier Fabien,
Sibley L. David
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
cellular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.542
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1462-5822
pISSN - 1462-5814
DOI - 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2005.00486.x
Subject(s) - biology , toxoplasma gondii , icam 1 , bacterial adhesin , microbiology and biotechnology , parasite hosting , intercellular adhesion molecule 1 , intracellular , apicomplexa , intracellular parasite , cell adhesion , cell migration , endocytosis , receptor , antibody , immunology , cell , virulence , plasmodium falciparum , gene , biochemistry , world wide web , computer science , malaria
Summary Toxoplasma gondii crosses non‐permissive biological barriers such as the intestine, the blood–brain barrier and the placenta thereby gaining access to tissues where it most commonly causes severe pathology. Herein we show that in the process of migration Toxoplasma initially concentrates around intercellular junctions and probably uses a paracellular pathway to transmigrate across biological barriers. Parasite transmigration required viable and actively motile parasites. Interestingly, the integrity of host cell barriers was not altered during parasite transmigration. As intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM‐1) is upregulated on cellular barriers during Toxoplasma infection, we investigated the role of this receptor in parasite transmigration. Soluble human ICAM‐1 and ICAM‐1 antibodies inhibited transmigration of parasites across cellular barriers implicating this receptor in the process of transmigration. Furthermore, human ICAM‐1 immunoprecipitated the mature form of the parasite adhesin MIC2 present on the parasite surface, indicating that this interaction may contribute to cellular migration. These findings reveal that Toxoplasma exploits the natural cell trafficking pathways in the host to cross cellular barriers and disseminate to deep tissues.