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
Infectious Diseases
Ru Wang, Minmin Wu, Haijian Cai, Ran An, Ying Chen, Jie Wang, Nan Zhou, Jian Du
Summary: GRA3 protein is involved in the transmission and proliferation of Toxoplasma gondii by interacting with the host cell endoplasmic reticulum. Antigenic peptide sequences were selected to develop polyclonal antibodies against GRA3. The GRA3 PcAb specifically recognized GRA3 protein of Toxoplasma gondii type II ME49 strain. The development of GRA3 PcAbs is expected to reveal the molecular mechanisms of GRA3 in regulating host cell function and contribute to the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for toxoplasmosis.
TROPICAL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lokman Galal, Frederic Ariey, Meriadeg Ar Gouilh, Marie-Laure Darde, Azra Hamidovic, Franck Letourneur, Franck Prugnolle, Aurelien Mercier
Summary: This study analyzes 156 genomes of Toxoplasma gondii and provides estimates of the parasite's mutation rate and generation time. It reveals that a specific haplotype is associated with the spread of the parasite through cats, indicating its role in sexual reproduction.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
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.
Review
Immunology
Kun Yin, Chao Xu, Guihua Zhao, Huanhuan Xie
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii has a complex life cycle and can infect a wide range of warm-blooded animals globally. Infection by this parasite has been linked to various psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and suicide. The mechanism behind the parasite's manipulation effects has not been fully elucidated. Recent research suggests that neuroendocrine programs and neurotransmitter imbalance may play a key role in this process. Additionally, studying the expression patterns of host genes, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and mRNAs provides new insights into understanding the neurotransmitter dysfunction induced by parasite manipulation.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Esther Rajendran, Morgan Clark, Cibelly Goulart, Birte Steinhofel, Erick T. Tjhin, Simon Gross, Nicholas C. Smith, Kiaran Kirk, Giel G. van Dooren
Summary: This study reveals the regulation mechanism by which the apicomplexan parasite senses and responds to changes in arginine availability, showing that the expression of TgApiAT1 is modulated by the arginine concentration in the environment. The regulation is post-transcriptional and mediated by an upstream open reading frame (uORF) encoded peptide, highlighting the parasite's ability to adapt to different nutrient environments through modulating arginine uptake.
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)
Article
Microbiology
Geetha Kannan, Pariyamon Thaprawat, Tracey L. Schultz, Vern B. Carruthers
Summary: This study demonstrates that Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites can ingest host-derived cytosolic proteins across the cyst wall, providing insight into how the parasite obtains resources within infected cells. Disruption of a parasite protease enhances accumulation of host-derived protein within the chronic-stage parasites, suggesting a potential role in supporting the parasite's persistence.
Article
Microbiology
Tatiane S. Lima, Sharmila Mallya, Allen Jankeel, Ilhem Messaoudi, Melissa B. Lodoen
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii infection prolongs the lifespan of primary human neutrophils by inhibiting apoptosis mechanisms, which may help the parasite maintain an intracellular replicative niche.
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)
Article
Biology
Nicholas Rinkenberger, Michael E. Abrams, Sumit K. Matta, John W. Schoggins, Neal M. Alto, L. David Sibley
Summary: The study investigated the role of IFN gamma-induced ISGs in restricting Toxoplasma gondii infection, and identified RARRES3 as a novel factor restricting parasite infection. The limited number of ISGs capable of restricting T. gondii infection when individually expressed suggests that IFN gamma-mediated immunity to T. gondii infection is a complex, multifactorial process.
Article
Parasitology
Xuan-Wu Li, Ni Zhang, Zhuo-Lin Li, Nouhoum Dibo, Zhen-Rong Ma, Bin Lu, Ye-Hong Huang, Yun-Feng Chang, Hong-Zhi Chen, Xiang Wu
Summary: This study identified a novel group of Toxoplasma membrane protein epitopes through genome-wide screening, which is important for the development of an effective vaccine against Toxoplasma infection.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aline Cristina Abreu Moreira-Souza, Hayandra Ferreira Nanini, Thuany Prado Rangel, Sthefani Rodrigues Batista da Silva, Beatriz Pego Damasceno, Beatriz Elias Ribeiro, Cynthia M. Cascabulho, Fabiano Thompson, Camille Leal, Patricia Teixeira Santana, Siane Lopes Bittencourt Rosas, Kivia Queiroz de Andrade, Claudia L. Martins Silva, Rossiane Claudia Vommaro, Heitor Siffert Pereira de Souza, Robson Coutinho-Silva
Summary: This study investigated the impact of the P2X7 receptor on the inflammatory response to Toxoplasma gondii-induced ileitis. The results showed that P2X7 deficient mice had more severe disease, higher parasitic burden, liver damage, and intestinal contractility compared to wild-type mice. P2X7 activates the inflammasome and regulates immune responses, while specific gut bacteria populations modulated by P2X7 determine disease severity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arwa Lachkhem, Lokman Galal, Ibtissem Lahmar, Karine Passebosc, Homayoun Riahi, Nicolas Plault, Marie-Laure Darde, Aurelien Mercier, Hamouda Babba
Summary: Isolation and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii strains from domestic animals in Southern and coastal area of Tunisia revealed a large predominance of type II strains, followed by type III, and for the first time in Tunisia, an isolate of Africa 4 lineage. Analyses of population genetics also showed the presence of a divergent population of type II lineage in Tunisia, supporting limited recent migrations of strains between Tunisia and other countries.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
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
Hematology
Chloe Latour, Myriam F. Wlodarczyk, Grace Jung, Aurelie Gineste, Nicolas Blanchard, Tomas Ganz, Marie-Paule Roth, Helene Coppin, Leon Kautz
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matthew L. Blank, Michelle L. Parker, Raghavendran Ramaswamy, Cameron J. Powell, Elizabeth D. English, Yaw Adomako-Ankomah, Lena F. Pernas, Sean D. Workman, John C. Boothroyd, Martin J. Boulanger, Jon P. Boyle
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Cell Biology
Anna Salvioni, Marcy Belloy, Aurore Lebourg, Emilie Bassot, Vincent Cantaloube-Ferrieu, Virginie Vasseur, Sophie Blanie, Roland S. Liblau, Elsa Suberbielle, Ellen A. Robey, Nicolas Blanchard
Review
Parasitology
Anais F. Poncet, Nicolas Blanchard, Sabrina Marion
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Microbiology
Ali Hassan, Myriam F. Wlodarczyk, Mehdi Benamar, Emilie Bassot, Anna Salvioni, Sahar Kassem, Antoine Berry, Abdelhadi Saoudi, Nicolas Blanchard
Review
Microbiology
Aude Cerutti, Nicolas Blanchard, Sebastien Besteiro
Article
Surgery
Carlo J. Iasella, Aki Hoji, Iulia Popescu, Jianxin Wei, Mark E. Snyder, Yingze Zhang, Wei Xu, Vera Iouchmanov, Ritchie Koshy, Mark Brown, Monica Fung, Charles Langelier, Elizabeth A. Lendermon, Daniel Dugger, Rupal Shah, Joyce Lee, Bruce Johnson, Jeffrey Golden, Lorriana E. Leard, Mary Ellen Kleinhenz, Silpa Kilaru, Steven R. Hays, Jonathan P. Singer, Pablo G. Sanchez, Matthew R. Morrell, Joseph M. Pilewski, John R. Greenland, Kong Chen, John F. McDyer
Summary: Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is a major complication limiting long-term survival among lung transplant recipients, and the airway transcriptome may reflect key immunologic changes in the disease.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Conor Laing, Nicolas Blanchard, Glenn A. McConkey
TRENDS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anais F. Poncet, Victor Bosteels, Eik Hoffmann, Sylia Chehade, Sofie Rennen, Ludovic Huot, Veronique Peucelle, Sandra Marechal, Jamal Khalife, Nicolas Blanchard, Sophie Janssens, Sabrina Marion
Summary: Research demonstrates that infection with Toxoplasma gondii affects the unfolded protein response (UPR) in dendritic cells, specifically through the IRE1 alpha/XBP1s pathway, influencing cytokine secretion and antigen presentation, and playing a critical role in host immune response.
Article
Microbiology
Elena Charpentier, Catherine Marques, Sandie Menard, Pamela Chauvin, Emilie Guemas, Claire Cottrel, Sophie Cassaing, Judith Fillaux, Alexis Valentin, Nicolas Blanchard, Antoine Berry, Xavier Iriart
Summary: The host lymphocyte response is crucial in Pneumocystis pneumonia pathophysiology. This study found that low B cell count was associated with PCP, while deceased patients had lower Th1 and Tc1 populations, higher Th2 response, and higher effector TCD8. Factors such as Th1/Th2 ratio, CD8 Tc1, effector TCD8, central memory TCD8, NK cells count, and total lymphocyte count were associated with an increased risk of mortality in PCP.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Jonathan K. Alder, Rachel M. Sutton, Carlo J. Iasella, Mehdi Nouraie, Ritchie Koshy, Stefanie J. Hannan, Ernest G. Chan, Xiaoping Chen, Yingze Zhang, Mark Brown, Iulia Popescu, Melinda Veatch, Melissa Saul, Annerose Berndt, Barbara A. Methe, Alison Morris, Joseph M. Pilewski, Pablo G. Sanchez, Matthew R. Morrell, Steven D. Shapiro, Kathleen O. Lindell, Kevin F. Gibson, Daniel J. Kass, John F. McDyer
Summary: This study found an enrichment of variants in telomere-maintenance genes and shorter telomeres among idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lung transplant recipients. However, transplant outcomes of survival and CLAD did not differ based on gene variants or telomere length in these patients. Therefore, the study supports not excluding individuals with telomere-mediated disease from lung transplantation and focusing research efforts on therapies for those with short-telomere mediated disease.
JOURNAL OF HEART AND LUNG TRANSPLANTATION
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Ali Hassan, Nicolas Blanchard
Summary: Host infections can modulate immune functions and alter the course of inflammatory diseases. Exposure to pathogens can have a significant impact on the development of inflammatory diseases, with both beneficial and harmful effects.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sidar Aydin, Javier Pareja, Vivianne M. Schallenberg, Armelle Klopstein, Thomas Gruber, Nicolas Page, Elisa Bouillet, Nicolas Blanchard, Roland Liblau, Jakob Koerbelin, Markus Schwaninger, Aaron J. Johnson, Mirjam Schenk, Urban Deutsch, Doron Merkler, Britta Engelhardt
Summary: Blood-brain barrier breakdown and immune cell infiltration are early markers of multiple sclerosis. Researchers have found that brain endothelial cells cross-present antigen to CD8(+) T cells, preventing their migration and initiating blood-brain barrier breakdown.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Syrian G. Sanchez, Emilie Bassot, Aude Cerutti, Hoa Mai Nguyen, Amel Aida, Nicolas Blanchard, Sebastien Besteiro
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii is responsible for toxoplasmosis, a disease that can be serious when contracted during pregnancy, but can also be a threat for immunocompromised individuals. The study finds that targeting the apicoplast in bradyzoites, the latent form of the parasite, leads to a loss of long-term viability, suggesting the apicoplast as a potential therapeutic target.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Julien Santi-Rocca, Nicolas Blanchard
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2017)