Association of a NOD2 gene polymorphism and T-helper 17 cells with presumed ocular toxoplasmosis

J Infect Dis. 2013 Jan 1;207(1):152-63. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jis640. Epub 2012 Oct 24.

Abstract

Retinochoroiditis manifests in patients infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Here, we assessed 30 sibships and 89 parent/case trios of presumed ocular toxoplasmosis (POT) to evaluate associations with polymorphisms in the NOD2 gene. Three haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tag-SNPs) within the NOD2 gene were genotyped. The family-based association test showed that the tag-SNP rs3135499 is associated with retinochoroiditis (P = .039). We then characterized the cellular immune response of 59 cases of POT and 4 cases of active ocular toxoplasmosis (AOT). We found no differences in levels of interferon γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin 2 produced by T-helper 1 cells when comparing patients with AOT or POT to asymptomatic individuals. Unexpectedly, we found an increased interleukin 17A (IL-17A) production in patients with POT or OAT. In patients with POT or AOT, the main cellular source of IL-17A was CD4(+)CD45RO(+)T-bet(-)IFN-γ(-) T-helper 17 cells. Altogether, our results suggest that NOD2 influences the production of IL-17A by CD4(+) T lymphocytes and might contribute to the development of ocular toxoplasmosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alleles
  • Brazil
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cytokines / analysis
  • Haplotypes
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Interleukin-17 / immunology
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism*
  • Nod2 Signaling Adaptor Protein / genetics*
  • Nod2 Signaling Adaptor Protein / immunology
  • Phenotype
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology
  • Th1 Cells / immunology
  • Th17 Cells / immunology
  • Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / genetics*
  • Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / immunology

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Interleukin-17
  • NOD2 protein, human
  • Nod2 Signaling Adaptor Protein