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)
Article
Neurosciences
Damien Dupont, Jian-Sheng Lin, Francois Peyron, Hideo Akaoka, Martine Wallon
Summary: The study demonstrated that Toxoplasma gondii infection can lead to chronic alterations in sleep-wake states in mice, characterized by increased time spent awake, increased cortical EEG theta power density, and decreased slow-wave sleep. These effects can be alleviated by anti-inflammatory treatment with corticosteroid dexamethasone, shedding light on the neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders reported in infected patients.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Celine Dard, Christopher Swale, Marie-Pierre Brenier-Pinchart, Dayana C. Farhat, Valeria Bellini, Marie Gladys Robert, Dominique Cannella, Herve Pelloux, Isabelle Tardieux, Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
Summary: Discovery of the protein BCLA/MAG2 as a specific marker for bradyzoite and cyst envelope in T. gondii has been achieved through genetically engineered parasites. By using lab mice as models, researchers have confirmed that BCLA/MAG2 can stimulate antibody production recognizing bradyzoite and cyst structure. An ELISA assay based on a bacterially produced BCLA recombinant polypeptide has been designed and validated using sera from mice and human patients with toxoplasmosis, showing promising results for detection of persistent T. gondii infection.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ting-Ting Li, Dan-Yu Zhao, Qin-Li Liang, Hany M. Elsheikha, Meng Wang, Li-Xiu Sun, Zhi-Wei Zhang, Xiao-Qing Chen, Xing-Quan Zhu, Jin-Lei Wang
Summary: This study focuses on the roles of glutaredoxins (Grxs) in the pathogenicity of Toxoplasma gondii. The researchers found that grx1 plays a crucial role in protecting the parasite against oxidative killing and is essential for its growth in cultured cells and pathogenicity in mice.
Article
Microbiology
Jianmin Cui, Xuke Yang, Jichao Yang, Ruilian Jia, Yaoyu Feng, Bang Shen
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii relies on phosphate transporters TgPiT, TgPT2, and TgmPT to acquire necessary nutrients for survival. TgPT2 is essential for parasite growth and its depletion impairs motility, invasion, and growth of the parasites. Toxoplasma is also capable of scavenging host ATP, indicating its ability to obtain energy from the environment.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Iti Saraav, Luisa Cervantes-Barragan, Philipp Olias, Yong Fu, Qiuling Wang, Leran Wang, Yi Wang, Matthias Mack, Megan T. Baldridge, Thaddeus Stappenbeck, Marco Colonna, L. David Sibley
Summary: Oral infection with Toxoplasma gondii exacerbates damage to the colon caused by chemical irritant and impairs wound healing by suppressing stem cell regeneration. Enhanced tissue damage is due to inflammatory monocytes releasing inflammatory mediators.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(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
Microbiology
Marjan Enshaeieh, Geita Saadatnia, Jalal Babaie, Majid Golkar, Samira Choopani, Mohammad Sayyah
Summary: The study showed that valproic acid can inhibit chronic Toxoplasma infection and reduce the copy numbers of specific proteins and DNA in the brains of mice, comparable to the common medication TMP-SMZ.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito, Ywlliane da Silva Rodrigues Meurer, Jully Anne Lemos Batista, Andrea Lima de Sa, Cassio Ricardo de Medeiros Souza, Janeusa Trindade de Souto, Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of Toxoplasma gondii infection on the systemic inflammatory response and structure of the primary somatosensory cortex (PSC). The results showed increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and tissue cysts in the infected mice, as well as a loss of neuronal net labeling in the cortex.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
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)
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
Immunology
Rajesh Mani, Mohamed H. Abdelaziz, Eri Ochiai, Qila Sa, Barbara A. Fox, David J. Bzik, Yasuhiro Suzuki
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii establishes chronic infection through tissue cyst formation. A small portion of cysts can persist in the presence of anti-cyst CD8(+) T cells, and this persistence is associated with increased mRNA levels of specific proteins.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Kehui Zhu, Kun Liu, Junsi Huang, Xueqiong Weng, Qiaoyun Chen, Tianyu Gao, Kebing Chen, Chunxia Jing, Jing Wang, Guang Yang
Summary: This study found that Toxoplasma gondii infection is a risk factor for osteoporosis, especially compound osteoporosis. Further diagnosis and treatment of T. gondii infection, especially in women, are necessary for patients with osteoporosis.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniela Sparvoli, Jason Delabre, Diana Marcela Penarete-Vargas, Shrawan Kumar Mageswaran, Lev M. Tsypin, Justine Heckendorn, Liam Theveny, Marjorie Maynadier, Marta Mendonca Cova, Laurence Berry-Sterkers, Amandine Guerin, Jean-Francois Dubremetz, Serge Urbach, Boris Striepen, Aaron P. Turkewitz, Yi-Wei Chang, Maryse Lebrun
Summary: A membrane-bound protein complex called CRMPs has been discovered to play a crucial role in rhoptry secretion and invasion in Toxoplasma. Unlike previously described rhoptry exocytic factors, TgCRMPs are not essential for the assembly of the rhoptry secretion machinery and only transiently associate with the exocytic site prior to invasion. The CRMP complex seems to act as a host-molecular sensor to ensure rhoptry exocytosis occurs when the parasite contacts the host cell.
Article
Microbiology
Juan A. Torres, Rebecca R. Pasquarelli, Peter S. Back, Andy S. Moon, Peter J. Bradley
Summary: The study identifies a novel component of the Toxoplasma gondii IMC, IMC32, which is essential for parasite survival by localizing to developing daughter buds early during endodyogeny. IMC32's localization depends on specific structural domains, and two conserved regions within the C-terminal coiled-coil domains are critical for its function during replication. This provides a potential new therapeutic target for T. gondii and related apicomplexan parasites.
Article
Microbiology
Miryam A. Hortua Triana, Karla M. Marquez-Nogueras, Le Chang, Andrew J. Stasic, Catherine Li, Kevin A. Spiegel, Amrita Sharma, Zhu-Hong Li, Silvia N. J. Moreno
JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Miryam Andrea Hortua Triana, Karla M. Marquez-Nogueras, Stephen A. Vella, Silvia N. J. Moreno
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH
(2018)
Article
Microbiology
Le Chang, Eric J. Dykes, Jianhua Li, Silvia N. J. Moreno, Miryam Andrea Hortua Triana
JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Microbiology
Ji Young Hwang, Yanbo Sun, Christopher R. Carroll, Edward J. Usherwood
Article
Microbiology
Barbara A. Fox, Rebekah B. Guevara, Leah M. Rommereim, Alejandra Falla, Valeria Bellini, Graciane Petre, Camille Rak, Viviana Cantillana, Jean-Francois Dubremetz, Marie-France Cesbron-Delauw, Gregory A. Taylor, Corinne Mercier, David J. Bzik
Article
Immunology
Leah M. Rommereim, Barbara A. Fox, Kiah L. Butler, Viviana Cantillana, Gregory A. Taylor, David J. Bzik
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Microbiology
Rebekah B. Guevara, Barbara A. Fox, Alejandra Falla, David J. Bzik
Article
Microbiology
Rebekah B. Guevara, Barbara A. Fox, David J. Bzik
Article
Microbiology
Rebekah B. Guevara, Barbara A. Fox, David J. Bzik
Article
Immunology
Yanbo Sun, Nicholas K. Preiss, Kristine B. Valenteros, Yasmin Kamal, Young-Kwang Usherwood, H. Robert Frost, Edward J. Usherwood
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Cell Biology
Stephen A. Vella, Christina A. Moore, Zhu-Hong Li, Miryam A. Hortua Triana, Evgeniy Potapenko, Silvia N. J. Moreno
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii relies on calcium signaling for motility and egress from host cells, utilizing both intracellular and extracellular calcium sources.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Leah M. Rommereim, Ajay Suresh Akhade, Bhaskar Dutta, Carolyn Hutcheon, Nicolas W. Lounsbury, Clifford C. Rostomily, Ram Savan, Iain D. C. Fraser, Ronald N. Germain, Naeha Subramanian
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
Microbiology
Joshua Mayoral, Rebekah B. Guevara, Yolanda Rivera-Cuevas, Vincent Tu, Tadakimi Tomita, Julia D. Romano, Leslie Gunther-Cummins, Simone Sidoli, Isabelle Coppens, Vernon B. Carruthers, Louis M. Weiss
Summary: This study investigates the interaction between the secreted protein GRA64 of Toxoplasma gondii and host endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT), and reveals the important role of GRA64 in tissue cyst formation. This study lays the foundation for further understanding the mechanics and consequences of host ESCRT-parasite protein interactions.