DETERMINING IF NEURONS CAN CLEAR T. GONDII PARASITES THROUGH A CRE REPORTER SYSTEM

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an intracellular parasite that infects the central nervous system (CNS) in up to one third of the human population. T. gondii persistence in the CNS is thought to be due in part to an inability of neurons to clear intracellular parasites. In this project, I have studied the mechanisms by which neurons are able to clear T. gondii and whether they are able to do so in vivo. Using a novel reporter system, we have determined that neurons are capable of clearing parasites in aninterferon-γ (IFN-γ) dependent manner. Furthermore, our results suggest that neurons can clear parasites in vitro through the activation of a set of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) stimulated immunity-related GTPases (IRGs) known to be involved in the clearance of the parasite in other cell types. Additionally,we have tested this reporter system in a model of infection allowing us to establish whether neurons clear parasites in vivo.