Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joy M. Zeng, Sanduni V. Hapuarachchi, Sarah H. Shafik, Rowena E. Martin, Kiaran Kirk, Giel G. van Dooren, Adele M. Lehane
Summary: This study found that all three FNT proteins of T. gondii are located on the cell membrane, with TgFNT1 making the largest contribution to l-lactate transport during the parasite lytic cycle. Genetic analysis showed that these three genes can be disrupted individually or together without affecting the parasite's proliferation cycle.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Parasitology
Rajshekhar Y. Gaji, Amanda K. Sharp, Anne M. Brown
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii is a life-threatening intracellular pathogen that depends on protein kinases for its life cycle. Research on Toxoplasma kinases aims to understand their functions and potentially develop therapeutics against this parasite.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Min Chen, Pei Yang, Zixuan Xin, Jiating Chen, Weihao Zou, Lijuan Zhou, Lili Yang, Jiao Peng, Hongjuan Peng
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii is a pathogen causing toxoplasmosis and has similarities with immunotherapy for cancers. The knockout of GRA5 gene in T. gondii resulted in an avirulent strain that stimulated immune responses. ME49 & UDelta;gra5 vaccination provided protection against T. gondii infection and breast cancer by boosting anti-tumor responses. The vaccine upregulated Th1 cytokines and tumor-infiltrating T cells, and increased the number of immune cells in the spleen.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Tadakimi Tomita, Debanjan Mukhopadhyay, Bing Han, Rama Yakubu, Vincent Tu, Joshua Mayoral, Tatsuki Sugi, Yanfen Ma, Jeroen P. J. Saeij, Louis M. Weiss
Summary: The study reveals that the cyst matrix protein MAG1 functions as a secreted immunomodulatory effector, regulating parasite virulence and dissemination by suppressing inflammasome activation. The balance between GRA15-induced inflammasome activation and MAG1-mediated suppression plays a crucial role in host-parasite interactions and the establishment of chronic infection.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fernando Rodrigo Doline, Joao Henrique Farinhas, Leandro Meneguelli Biondo, Pollyanne Raysa Fernandes de Oliveira, Nassarah Jabur Lot Rodrigues, Karina Pavao Patricio, Rinaldo Aparecido Mota, Helio Langoni, Christina Pettan-Brewer, Rogerio Gifuffrida, Vamilton Alvares Santarem, Wagner Antonio Chiba de Castro, Andrea Pires dos Santos, Louise Bach Kmetiuk, Alexander Welker Biondo
Summary: This study found that indigenous populations in Brazil have a higher risk of Toxoplasma gondii exposure, which is also associated with their dogs and water sources. It emphasizes the importance of water quality in preventing toxoplasmosis in indigenous communities.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Thomas Mouveaux, Emmanuel Roger, Alioune Gueye, Fanny Eysert, Ludovic Huot, Benjamin Grenier-Boley, Jean-Charles Lambert, Mathieu Gissot
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii is a eukaryotic parasite that forms latent cysts in the brain, leading to compromised immune-privileged central nervous system and affected neuronal pathways. Using a new in vitro model, researchers studied the dynamics of parasite differentiation and neuronal response to long-term infection, revealing significant changes in synaptic signaling pathways, particularly glutamatergic synapse signaling.
Article
Microbiology
Jessica H. Chern, Rebecca R. Pasquarelli, Andy S. Moon, Allan L. Chen, Jihui Sha, James A. Wohlschlegel, Peter J. Bradley
Summary: The cytoskeleton of Toxoplasma gondii contains a novel protein that localizes to discrete puncta in the IMC sutures, impacting various functions such as cytoskeletal integrity and host cell invasion. Additionally, this protein interacts with other proteins implicated in membrane trafficking, indicating a potential role in transporting molecules across the IMC structure.
Article
Immunology
Guang-Nan Jin, Jing-Mei Lu, Hui-Wen Lan, Yu-Nan Lu, Xin-Yu Shen, Xiang Xu, Lian-Xun Piao
Summary: This study found that GRh2 reduced neuronal injury caused by T. gondii infection by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway in microglia through binding TgCDPK1 and NLRP3.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shuang Li, Jing Liu, Heng Zhang, Zhepeng Sun, Zhu Ying, Yihan Wu, Jianhai Xu, Qun Liu
Summary: This study identified three GST proteins in Toxoplasma gondii, with GST2 playing a critical role in vesicle trafficking by localizing to the Golgi-endosomal system. Loss of TgGST2 led to incorrect localization and decreased expression of several secretory proteins, resulting in reduced invasion capacity and virulence to mice. The findings suggest that TgGST2 contributes to vesicle transport and plays a essential role in the parasite lytic cycle.
Article
Parasitology
Yang Wang, Chengjian Han, Rongsheng Zhou, Jinjin Zhu, Famin Zhang, Jingyang Li, Qingli Luo, Jian Du, Deyong Chu, Yihong Cai, Jilong Shen, Li Yu
Summary: The study revealed significant differences in the protein level of TgMIC1 between the high-virulence strain TgCtwh3 and low-virulence strain TgCtwh6, with the TgMIC1 polyclonal antibody inhibiting the invasion and proliferation of TgCtwh3. These findings suggest that the differential expression of TgMIC1 may partly explain the virulence mechanism in this atypical genotype.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rajib Acharjee, Keith K. Talaam, Endah D. Hartuti, Yuichi Matsuo, Takaya Sakura, Bundutidi M. Gloria, Shinya Hidano, Yasutoshi Kido, Mihoko Mori, Kazuro Shiomi, Masakazu Sekijima, Tomoyoshi Nozaki, Kousuke Umeda, Yoshifumi Nishikawa, Shinjiro Hamano, Kiyoshi Kita, Daniel K. Inaoka
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects a large portion of the global human population. A new potential drug target, TgMQO, has been identified in this study, and a novel expression system was developed to study its characteristics. Ferulenol, an MQO inhibitor, showed promising inhibitory effects on TgMQO, with distinct binding sites from other known inhibitors.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Kassiopi Christina G. Kokkinaki, Manolis N. Saridomichelakis, Mathios E. Mylonakis, Leonidas Leontides, Panagiotis G. Xenoulis
Summary: The prevalence of seropositivity for Toxoplasma gondii varies in different subpopulations of cats in Greece, and is associated with age, history of cat-fight trauma, and lack of vaccination. This indicates that toxoplasmosis is still a significant public health concern in Greece, and optimal strategies for preventing T. gondii infection in cats should be established.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Juan B. Rodriguez, Sergio H. Szajnman
Summary: This article presents molecular targets for a safe chemotherapy approach against toxoplasmosis, including the isoprenoid pathway, dihydrofolate reductase, calcium-dependent protein kinases, histone deacetylase, and mitochondrial electron transport chain.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gabriela L. Carrillo, Jianmin Su, Mikel L. Cawley, Derek Wei, Simran K. Gill, Ira J. Blader, Michael A. Fox
Summary: The parasitic infection of Toxoplasma gondii can alter neural circuits by selectively removing inhibitory synapses on excitatory pyramidal neurons, leading to central nervous system infection and increased risk for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Lijun Zhu, Wanjun Qi, Guang Yang, Yurong Yang, Yuwen Wang, Lulu Zheng, Yongfeng Fu, Xunjia Cheng
Summary: This study found that a Toxoplasma gondii secreted protein, rhoptry protein 7 (ROP7), can promote inflammasome activation and lead to inflammasome hyperactivation through the IL-1 beta/NF-kappa B/NLRP3 feedback loop. The loss of ROP7 attenuates parasite-induced inflammatory activity.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Oscar A. Mendez, Colin J. Potter, Michael Valdez, Thomas Bello, Theodore P. Trouard, Anita A. Koshy
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE METHODS
(2018)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joshua A. Kochanowsky, Anita A. Koshy
Article
Microbiology
Shraddha Tuladhar, Joshua A. Kochanowsky, Apoorva Bhaskara, Yarah Ghotmi, Sambamurthy Chandrasekaran, Anita A. Koshy
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joshua A. Kochanowsky, Anita A. Koshy
Article
Immunology
Longfei Chen, David A. Christian, Joshua A. Kochanowsky, Anthony T. Phan, Joseph T. Clark, Shuai Wang, Corbett Berry, Jung Oh, Xiaoguang Chen, David S. Roos, Daniel P. Beiting, Anita A. Koshy, Christopher A. Hunter
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2020)
Review
Microbiology
Hannah J. Johnson, Anita A. Koshy
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kathryn E. McGovern, Carla M. Cabral, Helena W. Morrison, Anita A. Koshy
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Emily F. Merritt, Hannah J. Johnson, Zhee Sheen Wong, Adam S. Buntzman, Austin C. Conklin, Carla M. Cabral, Casey E. Romanoski, Jon P. Boyle, Anita A. Koshy
Article
Microbiology
Joshua A. Kochanowsky, Kaitlin K. Thomas, Anita A. Koshy
Summary: This study demonstrates the importance of the polymorphic effector protein ROP16 in influencing host cell production of ROS independent of IFN-γ, with the deletion of ROP16 leading to restricted parasite growth and survival. The findings suggest a novel mechanism of parasite restriction in human cells through suppression of ROS production by ROP16.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sambamurthy Chandrasekaran, Joshua A. Kochanowsky, Emily F. Merritt, Joseph S. Lagas, Ayesha Swannigan, Anita A. Koshy
Summary: The study shows that neurons are capable of clearing intracellular Toxoplasma gondii parasites through immune-regulated GTPases. Both murine and human neurons can mount cytokine-dependent defense mechanisms against T. gondii infection.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Parasitology
Anita A. Koshy
Summary: Researchers generated a stable, complex population of Toxoplasma gondii using the CRISPR/Cas9 method and found that the pathway to infect the brain is widely permissive, contrary to expectations.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Joshua A. A. Kochanowsky, Sambamurthy Chandrasekaran, Jacqueline R. R. Sanchez, Kaitlin K. K. Thomas, Anita A. A. Koshy
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii establishes a long-term latent infection in the host's central nervous system. It has been discovered that the parasite kinase ROP16 phosphorylates and activates the host cell transcription factor STAT6, which plays a critical role in promoting the encystment of the parasite.
Article
Neurosciences
Sara S. Parker, Aubin Moutal, Song Cai, Sambamurthy Chandrasekaran, Mackenzie R. Roman, Anita A. Koshy, Rajesh Khanna, Konrad E. Zinsmaier, Ghassan Mouneimne
Article
Neurosciences
Carla M. Cabral, Kathryn E. McGovern, Wes R. MacDonald, Jenna Franco, Anita A. Koshy