Cultured Embryonic Retina Systems as a Model for the Study of Underlying Mechanisms ofToxoplasma gondiiInfection

PURPOSE

Toxoplasma gondii, the most common cause of retinochoroiditis in humans, is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that depends on te host cell's microenvironment to proliferate. Because congenital infection is associated with a higher risk of ocular involvement than a postnatally acquired infection, this study was conducted to investigate the ability of Toxoplasma gondii to infect retinal tissue during development, when cellular environmental changes normally occur.

METHODS

Retinas from 5- to 9-day-old chick embryos were used. Stationary cultures were prepared in 24-well cell culture dishes and maintained at 37 degrees C in DMEM plus 5% fetal bovine serum for 2 to 6 days. Then the wells were infected with 4 x 10(5) tachyzoites. Retina explants and aggregate cell cultures were maintained in DMEM under rotation at 37 degrees C. T. gondii proliferation was measured using [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation after 72 hours. Ornithine and arginine decarboxylase (ODC and ADC) activities were determined by measuring CO(2) production from [1-(14)C]-ornithine and [1-(14)C]-arginine, respectively.

RESULTS

The proliferation of tachyzoites was high in dense, stationary cultures expressing elevated ODC and ADC activity. The addition of ODC or ADC inhibitors reduced T. gondii proliferation by approximately 20% to 40%. As for cultured retina cells, retina explants also allowed T. gondii proliferation whenever ODC activity was high.

CONCLUSIONS

The data suggest a direct correlation between retinal polyamine biosynthesis and the proliferation of T. gondii, in agreement with the observation that individuals infected congenitally have a greater risk of development of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.

Neutrophil collagenolytic activity in patients with Behçet disease

Studies were made on neutrophil dysfunction in Behçet disease by examining collagenolytic activity in neutrophils. The collagenolytic activity of neutrophil was found to be significantly higher in patients during the attack phase of this disease than in patients during the remission phase, in patients with other forms of uveitis and in normal controls. Collagenase was present in the collagenolytic enzyme, which showed high activity in the attack phase. The molecular weight of this enzyme was similar to that of mammalian neutrophil collagenase.

Localisation of macrophage lysosomal enzyme in experimental toxoplasma retinitis

Rabbit retinal tissue experimentally infected with Toxoplasma gondii was processed for the lysosomal enzyme aryl sulphatase. Abundant lysosomal activity was found in lysosomal bodies of the infected macrophages. There appeared to be a lack of fusion of the lysosomal bodies with the phagosomes containing the organisms. Examination of the majority of macrophage vacuoles containing trophozoites failed to show consistently lead sulphide deposition for aryl sulphatase activity. By light microscopy 83% of 115 macrophage vacuoles containing the trophozoites of T. gondii showed an absence of lysosomal enzyme activity; 7% of the vacuole containing the trophozoites were found to contain lysosomal enzyme activity. In the remaining 10% of the vacuoles containing the trophozoites of T. gondii the presence or absence of lysosomal enzyme activity could not be determined with certainty. The frequent absence of lysosomal enzyme activity within the phagosomes containing T. gondii organisms may be related to the parasite's ability to multiply and encyst in an intracellular locus. The abundant lysosomal enzyme activity in the lysosomal bodies within the cytoplasm of the infected macrophages may contribute to the cellular destruction of surrounding tissues when infected macrophages burst open owing to proliferation of the trophozoites.