Toxoplasma gondii Inhibits Gamma Interferon (IFN-γ)- and IFN-β-Induced Host Cell STAT1 Transcriptional Activity by Increasing the Association of STAT1 with DNA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The gamma interferon (IFN-γ) response, mediated by the STAT1 transcription factor, is crucial for host defense against the intracellular pathogen Toxoplasma gondii , but prior infection with Toxoplasma can inhibit this response. Recently, it was reported that the Toxoplasma type II NTE strain prevents the recruitment of chromatin remodeling complexes containing Brahma-related gene 1 (BRG-1) to promoters of IFN-γ-induced secondary response genes such as Ciita and major histocompatibility complex class II genes in murine macrophages, thereby inhibiting their expression. We report here that a type I strain of Toxoplasma inhibits the expression of primary IFN-γ response genes such as IRF1 through a distinct mechanism not dependent on the activity of histone deacetylases. Instead, infection with a type I, II, or III strain of Toxoplasma inhibits the dissociation of STAT1 from DNA, preventing its recycling and further rounds of STAT1-mediated transcriptional activation. This leads to increased IFN-γ-induced binding of STAT1 at the IRF1 promoter in host cells and increased global IFN-γ-induced association of STAT1 with chromatin. Toxoplasma type I infection also inhibits IFN-β-induced interferon-stimulated gene factor 3-mediated gene expression, and this inhibition is also linked to increased association of STAT1 with chromatin. The secretion of proteins into the host cell by a type I strain of Toxoplasma without complete parasite invasion is not sufficient to block STAT1-mediated expression, suggesting that the effector protein responsible for this inhibition is not derived from the rhoptries.