Table 1.

This table illustrates the role of specific cytokines either in resistance or susceptibility against T. gondii. The cytokines’ source/s, main function/s, synergistic, and antagonistic relations with other cytokines.

Name of cytokine	Immunity response	Source	Main functions	Synergistic relationship	Antagonistic relationship	References
INFγ	Resistant	CD4+, CD8+, and NK cells	Renders protection against T. gondii by activation of MΦ, NO, and GTPase signaling	TNFα and IL1β	IL4 and IL10	[60]
TNFα	Resistant	MΦ, T cells, and basophils	Involves in acute inflammatory response	IFNγ and IL12	IL4 and IL10	[59-61]
IL1β	Resistant	Endothelial cells	Acute phase response mediator	TNFα	IL4	[57]
IL2	Resistant	CD4+ cells	Induces growth of T cells and the release of IFNγ, involved in the lytic activity of MΦ and NK cells	IFNγ	IL4	[45]
IL4	Susceptible	Basophils	Antagonizes the products of Th1 cells, long exposure leads to chronic toxoplasmosis	Th2 cytokines	Th1 cytokines	[53]
IL5	Resistant (chronic) and susceptible (acute)	Mast cells	Plays a counter protective role in acute toxoplasmosis and protective role in chronic toxoplasmosis	IL4 (acute infection)	IL12	[94]
IL6	Resistant	MΦ, endothelial cells, monocytes, fibroblasts, myelomatous	Plays a pleotropic role in immunity; builds barriers in early ocular and encephalitis toxoplasmosis, enhanced activities of NK cells, and maturation of T and B cells	IL1β and TNFα	IL12, IFNγ, and IL27	[97,111]
IL7	Resistant	DCs, hepatocytes, endothelial cells	Plays a crucial role in the development of memory CD8+ T cells	IL15	IL10 and IL4	[113]
IL10	Susceptible	CD4+ cells, MΦ, B cells, DCs, mastocytes	Controls hyper-inflammation, keeps check on protective functioning of CD4+ cells, and plays a suppressive microbicidal function for MΦ and Np	IL6	IL12 and IFNγ	[201,202]
IL12	Resistant	DCs, MΦ, Np	Central inducer of IFNγ	TNFα	IL4 and IL10	[24]
IL15	Resistant	Mononuclear phagocytes	Required for optimal role of NK cells, CD8+ cells, and IELs	IL12 and IL7	IL10 and IL4	[61]
IL17A	Resistant	CD8+, γδT cells, NK cells	Mainly involves in innate immunity by the recruitment of Np	IL12, IFNγ, and IL6	IL10 and IL4	[151,164]
IL18	Resistant	MΦ and some other cells	Involves in production of IFNγ by NK cells and T cells	IL12	IL10 and IL6	[182]
IL23	Resistant	MΦ and DCs	Stimulates NK cells and T cells more specifically in the absence of IL-12	IL12	IL10, IL4 and IL6	[158,159)
TGFβ	Susceptible	Intraepithelial lymphocyte	Anti-inflammatory role in brain, eyes and intestine	IL10	TNFα, TNFβ, IFNγ, IL6, and IL12	[15]

IFN (Interferon), IL (Interleukin), TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor), TGF (Transforming Growth Factor).