Identification and co-localization of perforin-like (TgPLP1) protein in Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites.

For the first time, we show here that perforin-like (TgPLP1) is expressed in bradyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii. An immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed that TgPLP1 is expressed in T. gondii-encysted and in vitro-induced bradyzoites, TgPLP1 is distributed in micronemes in a manner similar to its distribution in tachyzoites. To shed light on the function of TgPLP1 in bradyzoites, quantitative PCR revealed that the expression level of TgPLP1 gene decreased over time during differentiation into bradyzoites in vitro. This finding suggests that TgPLP1 may play a role in the rupture of tissue cysts or the maintenance of cyst structure, although the exact function of this gene in the bradyzoites is still unknown.