Toxoplasma gondii ROP17 promotes autophagy via the Bcl-2-Beclin 1 pathway

The apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) secretes a group of serine/threonine kinases from rhoptries, which play vital roles in boosting intracellular infection. rhoptry organelle protein 17 (ROP17) is one these important kinase proteins. Nevertheless, its function remains unclear. Here, we showed that ROP17 induced autophagy vitro and vivo. small intestine tissues T. tachyzoite (RH strain)-infected mice was detected by the immunohistochemistry staining LC3B, Beclin 1 P62. overexpression augmented starvation-induced HEK 293T cells as measured MDC staining, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), fluorescence Western blot analysis. Moreover, interaction Bcl-2 confirmed using co-immunoprecipitation analysis, data demonstrated had an autophagic role dependent on 1-Bcl-2 pathway, also revealed vivo model through immunohistochemical staining. Pearson coefficient analysis there existed strong positive correlations between expression phosphorylation Bcl-2, while negative p62 Bcl-2. Collectively, our findings indicate plays pivotal maintaining proliferation host via promotion autophagy-dependent survival.