Transcriptome analysis identifies CCL2 as a signature response to T. gondii infection.
(a) Global gene transcriptome analysis of human PBMCs (n=5) infected with Pru tachyzoites (MOI 3:1) for 12 hours. RNA samples were collected and analyzed by RNAseq. (b) Analysis of chemokine expression in PBMCs (n=5) exposed to Pru (blue bars) and RH88 (yellow bars) strains of T. gondii by RNAseq. (c) Quantitative RT-PCR analysis for CCL2 and IL12B expression in human PBMCs (n=4) infected with Pru and RH88 strains of T. gondii. (d) Production of CCL2, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, CCL22, IL-8 and IL-1β by human PBMCs (n=4) infected with Pru and RH88 strains of T. gondii. (e) Analysis of CCL2 and IL12B expression and (f) CCL2, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, CCL22, IL-8 and IL-1β secretion in purified human CD14+ monocytes infected with Pru or RH88 strains of T. gondii. (g) Expression of CCL2 and IL12B in T. gondii-infected THP-1 cells. (h) Secretion of CCL2, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, CCL22, IL-8 and IL-1β by THP-1 cells infected with Pru and RH88 strains of T. gondii. The data shown are representative of (a,b) three, (c-d, g-h) five, (e,f) four independent experiments, and error bars shown represent the mean ± SD. Each symbol represents (c,d) an individual PBMC sample, (e-f) CD14+ monocytes isolated from an individual donor, (g,h) an individual cell culture well with THP-1 cells. Unpaired two-tailed Student’s t test was used for the statistical analysis, ns = not significant, N.D.=not detected.