Article
Immunology
Niuping Zhu, Liulu Yang, Shilin Xin, Wei Huang, Yibao Jiang, Yurong Yang
Summary: This study evaluated T. gondii infections in dogs from central China, finding that 4.40% of dogs were seropositive for T. gondii and 4.10% of dog feces contained T. gondii DNA. The prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in dogs significantly declined from 2020 to 2021 compared to previous years. Dogs from Zhoukou City or from pet shops showed significantly higher prevalence for T. gondii compared to other sources.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
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.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ahmed M. Shammaa, Thomas G. Powell, Imaan Benmerzouga
Summary: This study used real-world data from the FAERS database to analyze adverse outcomes and events associated with the treatment of Toxoplasma infections. Findings suggest that clindamycin and pyrimethamine may be strongly associated with death, and sulfonamide formulations may have a less favorable safety profile.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
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
Biology
Karla Marie Marquez-Nogueras, Miryam Andrea Hortua Triana, Nathan M. Chasen, Ivana Y. Kuo, Silvia N. J. Moreno
Summary: This study identified a novel ion channel, TgTRPPL-2, in Toxoplasma gondii that plays a role in Ca2+ signaling and may stimulate parasite motility, invasion, and egress through a Ca2+ signaling cascade. TgTRPPL-2 represents a potential target for combating toxoplasmosis.
Article
Immunology
Azadeh Nasuhidehnavi, Yanlin Zhao, Ankita Punetha, Andrew Hemphill, Hong Li, Tyler J. Bechtel, Theresa Rager, Bingcong Xiong, Vasileios Petrou, Marc-Jan Gubbels, Eranthie Weerapana, George S. Yap
Summary: The host cell surface receptor, basigin, and its related immunoglobulin family members play an important role in mediating the attachment of Toxoplasma gondii to host cells.
INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Wen Zhang, Bing-Rui Xiong, Long-Qing Zhang, Xian Huang, Xiaoman Yuan, Yu-Ke Tian, Xue-Bi Tian
Summary: This review highlights the crucial role of the inhibitory system, particularly the GABAergic system, in regulating the CNS function. Dysfunctions in the GABAergic system have been linked to various CNS disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Autism spectrum disorder, and Schizophrenia. Understanding the involvement of the GABAergic system in the pathogenesis of CNS diseases may offer new insights for potential therapeutic approaches.
Article
Immunology
Mohammad Mahdi Jafari, Zahra Azimzadeh Tabrizi, Mohammad Saaid Dayer, Nazanin Atieh Kazemi-Sefat, Mahshid Mohtashamifard, Rahimeh Mohseni, Atefeh Bagheri, Saeed Bahadory, Amir Karimipour-Saryazdi, Fatemeh Ghaffarifar
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii infection is associated with immune response, which can be used as prognosis markers. Immunotherapy has become a new approach for toxoplasmosis treatment.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Taylor G. Glausen, Gabriela L. Carrillo, Richard M. Jin, Jon P. Boyle, Jeroen P. J. Saeij, Elizabeth A. Wohlfert, Michael A. Fox, Ira J. Blader
Summary: Toxoplasmic encephalitis can induce seizures in infected individuals, and the parasite gene GRA15 plays a key role in this process by increasing host IL-1 receptor signaling. Inhibition of IL-1 signaling reduces seizure severity in Toxoplasma-infected mice, revealing a potential therapeutic target for controlling seizures associated with toxoplasmic encephalitis.
Article
Immunology
Xin-Yu Shen, Jing-Mei Lu, Yu-Nan Lu, Guang-Nan Jin, Jing-Wen Ma, Jing-He Wang, Yu Wang, Xiang Xu, Lian-Xun Piao
Summary: This study found that coixol has a protective effect on lung injury caused by Toxoplasma gondii infection. It reduces the recruitment and infiltration of inflammatory cells and improves pathological lung injury. Coixol can directly bind to T.g.HSP70 or Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) to disrupt their interaction. By interfering with the T.g.HSP70-mediated TLR4/NF-kappa B signaling pathway, coixol improves lung injury caused by T. gondii infection and shows promise for the treatment of toxoplasmosis.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Veterinary Sciences
Yurong Yang, Shilin Xin, Fernando H. A. Murata, Camila K. Cerqueira-Cezar, Oliver C. H. Kwok, Chunlei Su, Jitender P. Dubey
Summary: The study provides an overview of Toxoplasma gondii infection in bats, including seroprevalence, genotypes, clinical cases, and transmission routes. Insectivorous bats have higher seroprevalence of T. gondii compared to fructivores bats; bats may play a significant role in the transmission and epidemiology of T. gondii. Additional research is needed to validate serological and molecular tests, and explore the transmission routes of T. gondii infection in bats.
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Natalie J. Guzikowski, Ege T. Kavalali
Summary: Earlier studies explored the organization of proteins that drive neurotransmitter release and postsynaptic signaling at excitatory synapses, but the spatial organization of neurotransmission at inhibitory synapses remains unclear. This study used the specific interaction between antimalarial artemisinins and the inhibitory synapse scaffold protein, gephyrin, to investigate the functional organization of GABAAR-mediated neurotransmission. The results suggest that the GABAergic postsynaptic apparatus has a concentric center-surround organization, where the peripheral gephyrin clusters selectively maintain spontaneous GABAergic neurotransmission, facilitating its autonomous function in regulating Bdnf expression.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karen Bohmwald, Catalina A. Andrade, Valentina P. Mora, Jose T. Munoz, Robinson Ramirez, Maria F. Rojas, Alexis M. Kalergis
Summary: Neurotrophins play important roles in the central nervous system and disruption of their signaling pathways can lead to neurological disorders.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhou Huang, Hejun Liu, Jay Nix, Rui Xu, Catherine R. Knoverek, Gregory R. Bowman, Gaya K. Amarasinghe, L. David Sibley
Summary: The study revealed that the protein TgIST from Toxoplasma gondii blocks interferon-induced gene expression by binding to the STAT1 dimer interface, thus inhibiting the expression of immunity genes.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Fereshte Sheybani, Diederik van de Beek, Matthijs C. Brouwer
Summary: Half of the patients with suspected CNS infections are diagnosed with a CNS infection, and this was not related to CD4 counts. The best predictor for CNS infections was the CSF leukocyte count.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Samira Salim Mello Gallo, David Scott Lindsay, Nicole Brand Ederli, Filipe Pereira Matteoli, Thiago Motta Venancio, Francisco Carlos Rodrigues de Oliveira
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2018)
Article
Entomology
Muhammad Mazhar Ayaz, Muhammad Mudasser Nazir, Najeeb Ullah, Aqil Zaman, Atif Akbar, Muhammad Zeeshan, Zahid Hussain, Saima Naz, Yadong Zheng, Asghar Javed, David S. Lindsay
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Parasitology
Anja Joachim, Gertraut Altreuther, Berit Bangoura, Sam Charles, Arwid Daugschies, Barbara Hinney, David S. Lindsay, Hans-Christian Mundt, Marion Ocak, Smaragda Sotiraki
VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Biology
Aboozar Monavarfeshani, Gail Stanton, Jonathan Van Name, Kaiwen Su, William A. Mills, Kenya Swilling, Alicia Kerr, Natalie A. Huebschman, Jianmin Su, Michael A. Fox
Article
Parasitology
Muhammad Mudasser Nazir, Muhammad Mazhar Ayaz, Atif Nisar Ahmed, Imran Rasheed, Asim Faraz, Qaisar Akram, Saleem Althtar, Azhar Maqbool, Shahida Tabassum, Yadong Zheng, David S. Lindsay
Article
Parasitology
J. P. Dubey, D. S. Lindsay
JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Parasitology
J. P. Dubey, Camila K. Cerqueira-Cezar, Fernando H. A. Murata, J. D. Mowery, D. Scott, A. Rosypal von Dohlen, David S. Lindsay
JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Parasitology
Alexa Rosypal von Dohlen, David Scott, J. P. Dubey, David S. Lindsay
JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY
(2019)
Review
Parasitology
Jitender P. Dubey, David S. Lindsay
VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Neurosciences
Gabriela L. Carrillo, Valerie A. Ballard, Taylor Glausen, Zack Boone, Joseph Teamer, Cyrus L. Hinkson, Elizabeth A. Wohlfert, Ira J. Blader, Michael A. Fox
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ubadah Sabbagh, Gubbi Govindaiah, Rachana D. Somaiya, Ryan Ha, Jessica C. Wei, William Guido, Michael A. Fox
Summary: This study identified novel neuronal cell types in mouse vLGN using various techniques, revealing distinct GABAergic cell types in different laminae of vLGN. The results suggest that the subtype-specific laminar distribution of retinorecipient cells in vLGNe may play a crucial role in receiving, processing, and transmitting light-derived signals in parallel channels of the subcortical visual system.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Rachana D. Somaiya, Natalie A. Huebschman, Lata Chaunsali, Ubadah Sabbagh, Gabriela L. Carrillo, Bhanu P. Tewari, Michael A. Fox
Summary: The study investigated the transcriptional identity and development of astrocytes in the mouse visual thalamus, revealing that these cells have acquired adult-like morphology and functional characteristics before eye-opening. The results also showed that thalamic astrocytes ensheathe retinogeniculate synapses and are capable of efficient uptake of glutamate by eye-opening.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2022)
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
Biology
Rachana Deven Somaiya, Katelyn Stebbins, Ellen C. Gingrich, Hehuang Xie, John N. Campbell, A. Denise R. Garcia, Michael A. Fox
Summary: Axons of retinal ganglion cells induce astrocytes in the visual thalamus to generate Fgf15, which influences the migration of interneurons. The release of SHH from retinal axons is crucial for the recruitment of interneurons.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jianmin Su, Ubadah Sabbagh, Yanping Liang, Lucie Olejnikova, Karen G. Dixon, Ashley L. Russell, Jiang Chen, Yuchin Albert Pan, Jason W. Triplett, Michael A. Fox
Summary: The molecular mechanisms directing the precise laminar targeting of ipsilateral-projecting RGC axons to the deep sublamina of SC have been identified to involve the extracellular glycoprotein NPNT and integrin receptors, providing the assembly of eye-specific parallel visual pathways.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)