The Toxoplasma Effector GRA4 Hijacks Host TBK1 to Oppositely Regulate Anti-T. Gondii Immunity and Tumor Immunotherapy

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii)-associated polymorphic effector proteins are crucial in parasite development and regulating host anti-T. gondii immune responses. However, the mechanism remains obscure. Here, it is shown that Toxoplasma effector dense granules 4 (GRA4) restricts host IFN-I activation. Infection with Δgra4 mutant T. gondii strain induces stronger IFN-I responses and poses a severe threat to host health. Mechanistically, GRA4 binds to phosphorylated TBK1 to promote TRIM27-catalyzed K48-ubiquitination at Lys251/Lys372 residues, which enhances its recognition by autophagy receptor p62, ultimately leading to TBK1 autophagic degradation. Furthermore, an avirulent Δgra4 strain (ME49Δompdc/gra4) is constructed for tumor immunotherapy due to its ability to enhance IFN-I production. Earlier vaccination with ME49Δompdc/gra4 confers complete host resistance to the tumor compared with the classical ME49Δompdc treatment. Notably, ME49Δompdc/gra4 vaccination induces a specific CD64⁺MAR-1⁺CD11b⁺ dendritic cell subset, thereby enhancing T cell anti-tumor responses. Overall, these findings identify the negative role of T. gondii GRA4 in modulating host IFN-I signaling and suggest that GRA4 can be a potential target for the development of T. gondii vaccines and tumor immunotherapy.

Keywords: attenuated T. gondii; selective autophagy; toxoplasmosis; tumor therapy; type I interferon.