Toxoplasma gondii ROP18_I inhibits host innate immunity through cGAS-STING signaling

Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic protozoan, which widely infects humans and other warm-blooded animals. The type I interferon (IFN) such as IFN-α/β is involved in cGAS-STING signaling to resist T. gondii infection. We found in RAW264.7 cells, that T. gondii virulence factor TgROP18_I , inhibited IFN-β production through interacting with interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Besides, TgROP18_I interacted with p62 and Tumor Necrotic Factor Receptor Associated Factor 6 (TRAF6), which resulted in the inhibition of TRAF6-p62 interaction, and phosphorylation of p62. Furthermore, TgROP18_I restricted the recruitment of ubiquitin, p62 and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) in IFN-γ-stimulated murine cell line L929 cells. In IFN-γ-stimulated human cells, TgROP18_I restricted the decoration of PVM with ubiquitin, p62, and LC3, and bound with TRAF2, TRAF6, and p62, respectively. As a result, TgROP18_I led to a successful parasitic replication in murine and human cells. Collectively, our study revealed the function of TgROP18_I in suppressing host type I interferon responses in T. gondii infection for parasitic immune escape.