Cell Host & Microbe: 30% of people are sick!

Speaking of Toxoplasma gondii, people may first think of cats
.

Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite, an intestinal coccidian of cats
.

Toxoplasma infection can cause congenital birth defects, blindness, and neurological dysfunction in unborn children
.

Fortunately, the initial symptoms of Toxoplasma gondii infection in healthy people are similar to ordinary flu, but after the patient resists the toxoplasma infection, the toxoplasma gondii has not been completely eliminated, and it may be latent in the brain cells
.

On December 17, 2021, researchers from the University of Melbourne, Australia published a study titled " Transcriptional modification of host cells harboring Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites prevents IFN gamma-mediated cell death " in the Cell sub-Journal "Cell Host & Microbe" Thesis
.

The study showed that Toxoplasma gondii hides in brain cells and muscle cells and is in a dormant state by releasing proteins that shut down cells to remind the immune system
.

Toxoplasma gondii often lurks in the brain of a host animal.
Once a certain condition is reached, they can be reactivated to cause serious diseases.
Little is known about how toxoplasma gondii manipulates host cells during dormancy and its impact on survival
.

Interferon, a signal molecule of the immune system, is essential in fighting diseases
.

In this study, researchers used genomics and dynamic imaging techniques to visualize Toxoplasma gondii in real time

Researchers discovered that dormant Toxoplasma gondii (bradyzoites) export proteins to silence immune signals in infected host cells and hide themselves from being discovered.

Bradyzoite export STAT1 transcription inhibitor

However, IST plays a key role in limiting interferon signaling in bradyzoites to protect host cells from immune-mediated cell death, which is essential for the human body to fight Toxoplasma gondii

IST changes the interferon pathway

Researchers say that although the exact mechanism by which pathogens are reactivated to produce disease is poorly understood, there seems to be a correlation between people with immunodeficiency and brain damage

Researchers have shown that the way Toxoplasma gondii lurks in our brains and the way it shuts down our innate immune system in order to survive is very unique.

In short, this discovery allows us to better understand how Toxoplasma gondii hides in the brain and what triggers them to reactivate and cause disease.

Original source:

Simona Seizova, et al.