Review
Immunology
Chanjin Yoon, Yu Seong Ham, Woo Jin Gil, Chul-Su Yang
Summary: This review article provides an overview of the activation and specific role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in Toxoplasma gondii infection. It points out that the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in T. gondii infection is still uncertain and the mechanisms of its activation in different cell types are still unknown.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
Summary: Like many intracellular pathogens, Toxoplasma gondii uses effector proteins to manipulate host cells and promote transmission and persistence. This review summarizes how T. gondii effectors control the fate of infected cells and the outcome of infection through specific mechanisms.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Fumiaki Ihara, Yoshifumi Nishikawa
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii secretes various effector molecules to manipulate host cell signaling pathways, favoring its survival and replication within the host.
PARASITOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
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
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Li-Juan Zhou, Jiao Peng, Min Chen, Li-Jie Yao, Wei-Hao Zou, Cynthia Y. He, Hong-Juan Peng
Summary: TgSAG1 is a crucial surface protein of tachyzoites that plays a role in parasite invasion and host immune regulation by interacting with S100A6. This interaction affects the invasion process and host cell response, ultimately leading to the secretion of TNF-alpha through specific signaling pathways.
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
Matthew L. Blank, Jing Xia, Mary M. Morcos, Mai Sun, Pamela S. Cantrell, Yang Liu, Xuemei Zeng, Cameron J. Powell, Nathan Yates, Martin J. Boulanger, Jon P. Boyle
Summary: Research identified interactions between a single parasite effector and multiple target host proteins at the interface between the Toxoplasma gondii vacuole and the host mitochondria, some of which are critical for the HMA phenotype itself.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Min Chen, Lijie Yao, Lijuan Zhou, Pei Yang, Weihao Zou, Liqing Xu, Shengmin Li, Hongjuan Peng
Summary: TgROP18(I) inhibits type I interferon responses to facilitate parasitic replication in various host cells.
Review
Immunology
Jiating Chen, Wenzhong Liao, HongJuan Peng
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii can reverse tumor-induced immunosuppression by activating the host's immune system, leading to tumor growth inhibition. This has important implications for the development of more effective immunotherapies.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Qiang-Qiang Wang, Ming Sun, Tao Tang, De-Hua Lai, Jing Liu, Sanjay Maity, Kai He, Xi-Ting Wu, Jiong Yang, Yue-Bao Li, Xiao-Yan Tang, Hui-Yong Ding, Geoff Hide, Mark Distefano, Zhao-Rong Lun, Xing-Quan Zhu, Shaojun Long
Summary: By studying the model apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii, it was found that protein prenylation is associated with endocytic trafficking. Four non-classical endocytic proteins were identified to be involved in regulating endocytic transport in T. gondii, revealing their important role in the process.
Article
Microbiology
Alex Rosenberg, L. David Sibley
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii utilizes effector proteins TgNSM and TgIST to inhibit interferon-regulated gene expression, preventing host cell necroptosis and ensuring survival of intracellular cysts.
CELL HOST & MICROBE
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Mengyue Wang, Wen Jiang
Summary: A complex cycle model of Toxoplasma gondii in a multi-host system was constructed to study the virulence evolution and the impact of transmission routes and infection regulation on host behavior. The study found that factors favoring mice were associated with decreased virulence of T. gondii, except for the decay rate of oocysts, which led to different evolutionary trajectories under different vertical transmission. The environmental infection rate of cats also had different effects depending on vertical transmission. The sensitivity analysis revealed that changing the vertical infection rate and decay rate was most effective in regulating the virulence of T. gondii.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Alessia Possenti, Manlio Di Cristina, Chiara Nicastro, Matteo Lunghi, Valeria Messina, Federica Piro, Lorenzo Tramontana, Simona Cherchi, Mario Falchi, Lucia Bertuccini, Furio Spano
Summary: This study identifies and characterizes two thrombospondin-related proteins, RDF1 and RDF2, in Toxoplasma gondii, showing their key roles in controlling rhoptry discharge, and uncovers a compensatory mechanism contributing to phenotypic plasticity in T. gondii.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eben Gering, Zachary M. Laubach, Patty Sue D. Weber, Gisela Soboll Hussey, Kenna D. S. Lehmann, Tracy M. Montgomery, Julie W. Turner, Wei Perng, Malit O. Pioon, Kay E. Holekamp, Thomas Getty
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii infections in hyena cubs lead to them approaching lions more closely and experiencing higher rates of lion mortality, suggesting the possibility of parasite manipulation of host behavior for transmission to feline hosts. Both scenarios, where the behavior is an extended phenotype of the parasite or where the parasite has not undergone selection for behavior manipulation, have important implications for T. gondii's effects on host behavior and fitness in the wild.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Hui Sun, Jin Li, Longjiang Wang, Kun Yin, Chao Xu, Gongzhen Liu, Ting Xiao, Bingcheng Huang, Qingkuan Wei, Maoqing Gong, Jianping Cao
Summary: The study used tandem mass tag analysis to investigate global proteomic changes in host cells and T. gondii during intracellular infection. It revealed that T. gondii invasion relies on the secretion of numerous secretory proteins, while in infected host cells, many known secretory proteins were significantly downregulated.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)