Ia. Khan et al., IP-10 is critical for effector T cell trafficking and host survival in Toxoplasma gondii infection, IMMUNITY, 12(5), 2000, pp. 483-494
The generation of an adaptive immune response against intracellular pathoge
ns requires the recruitment of effector T cells to sites of infection. Here
we show that the chemokine IP-10, a specific chemoattractant for activated
T cells, controls this process in mice naturally infected with Toxoplasma
gondii. Neutralization of IP-10 in infected mice inhibited the massive infl
ux of T cells into tissues and impaired antigen-specific T cell effector fu
nctions. This resulted in >1000-fold increase in tissue parasite burden and
a marked increase in mortality compared to control antibody-treated mice.
These observations suggest that IP-10 may play a broader role in the locali
zation and function of effector T cells at sites of Th1 inflammation.