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a forward-genetic screen identifies a negative regulator of rapid ca(2+)-dependent cell egress in the intracellular parasite toxoplasma gondii.toxoplasma gondii, like all apicomplexan parasites, uses ca(2+)signalling pathways to activate gliding motility, which drives tissue dissemination, host cell invasion and egress. a group of plant-like ca(2+)-dependent protein kinases (cdpks), transduce cytosolic ca(2+) flux into enzymatic activity, but the molecular details of their activity are poorly understood. to investigate how ca(2+) signalling activates egress through cdpks, we performed a forward-genetic screen to isolate gain-of-functio ...201728258212
toxoplasma growth in vitro is dependent on exogenous tyrosine and is independent of aah2 even in tyrosine-limiting conditions.toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite capable of infecting virtually all nucleated cell types in almost all warm-blooded animals. interestingly, toxoplasma has a relatively full repertoire of amino acid biosynthetic machinery, perhaps reflecting its broad host range and, consequently, its need to adapt to a wide array of amino acid resources. although toxoplasma has been shown to be auxotrophic for tryptophan and arginine, it has not previously been determined if toxoplasma is ...201728257757
stability of toxoplasma gondii: antibody levels in schizophrenia. 201728256300
serologic evidence of toxoplasma gondii infection among cancer patients. a prospective study from qassim region, saudi arabia.to determine the frequency of antibody seropositivity of toxoplasma gondii  infection in a cancer patient population. we also explored on association of toxoplasma gondii seropositivity with selected variables. methods: this is a prospective cross-sectional study conducted at  prince faisal bin bandar cancer center, qassim, saudi arabia, from november 2014 to  march 2015. one hundred thirty seven patients were involved in the study. demographic data was collected using structured questionnaire, ...201728251231
opposing transcriptional mechanisms regulate toxoplasma development.the toxoplasma biology that underlies human chronic infection is developmental conversion of the acute tachyzoite stage into the latent bradyzoite stage. we investigated the roles of two alkaline-stress-induced apiap2 transcription factors, ap2iv-3 and ap2ix-9, in bradyzoite development. these factors were expressed in two overlapping waves during bradyzoite development, with ap2ix-9 increasing expression earlier than ap2iv-3, which peaked as ap2ix-9 expression was declining. disruption of the a ...201728251183
toxoplasma dj-1 regulates organelle secretion by a direct interaction with calcium-dependent protein kinase 1.human dj-1 is a highly conserved and yet functionally enigmatic protein associated with a heritable form of parkinson's disease. it has been suggested to be a redox-dependent regulatory scaffold, binding to proteins to modulate their function. here we present the x-ray crystal structure of the toxoplasma orthologue toxoplasma gondii dj-1 (tgdj-1) at 2.1-å resolution and show that it directly associates with calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 (cdpk1). the tgdj-1 structure identifies an orthologou ...201728246362
macrophages polarized by expression of toxogra15ii inhibit growth of hepatic carcinoma.a growing body of evidence suggests that tumor-associated macrophages are deeply involved in the hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation and account for the large proportion of infiltrated cells in tumor tissues and play a major role in promotion of tumor growth. on the other hand, studies have demonstrated that toxoplasma gondii virulence-associated molecule of dense granule protein (toxogra15ii) tends to induce classically activated macrophages (m1) differentiation. thus, we explored the m1 ind ...201728243242
predominance of atypical genotypes of toxoplasma gondii in free-roaming chickens in st. kitts, west indies.toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide protozoan parasite of felids which can infect almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. free-roaming chickens are good indicators of environmental contamination with t. gondii oocysts because they feed from the ground. previous research has demonstrated a high seroprevalence of t. gondii in domestic animals on st. kitts but little is known about the genotypes circulating in the environment.201728241777
seroprevalence, isolation and co-infection of multiple toxoplasma gondii strains in individual bobcats (lynx rufus) from mississippi, usa.toxoplasma gondii causes lifelong chronic infection in both feline definitive hosts and intermediate hosts. multiple exposures to the parasite are likely to occur in nature due to high environmental contamination. here, we present data of high seroprevalence and multiple t. gondii strain co-infections in individual bobcats (lynx rufus). unfrozen samples (blood, heart, tongue and faeces) were collected from 35 free ranging wild bobcats from mississippi, usa. toxoplasma gondii antibodies were dete ...201728238868
immunization with toxoplasma gondii aspartic protease 3 increases survival time of infected mice.aspartic proteases in the toxoplasma gondii, called tgasp1, 2, 3, and 5, play essential roles in the life cycle. in a previous study, we have demonstrated that tgasp1 is an antigen that prolongs survival time of infected mice. as an in-depth study, we have investigated the protective immunity of tgsap3. a bioinformatic analysis was used to predict the linear b-cell epitopes and potential th-cell epitopes on tgasp3, the results suggested that it has a large number of excellent epitopes. mice were ...201728238685
toxoplasmosis in rodents: a systematic review and meta-analysis in iran.during recent years, implication of rodents in the epidemiology of toxoplasma gondii is overlooked in iran; thus, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in rodents of iran. for this purpose, following the general methodology recommended for systematic reviews and meta-analysis, 5 english and 3 persian databases were explored from 1 january 2000 till 10 september 2016 using related keywords. finally, 9 out of 291 citations were met to be inc ...201728237696
break-even analysis of costs for controlling toxoplasma gondii infections in slaughter pigs via a serological surveillance program in the netherlands.toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) is a food safety hazard which causes a substantial human disease burden and cost-of-illness. infected pig meat is a common source of toxoplasmosis. a break-even analysis was conducted to estimate the point for which the intervention cost at fattening pig farms equaled the cost of averted human disease burden and cost-of-illness minus the costs of a t. gondii surveillance program. the surveillance program comprised serological testing of blood samples taken at slaugh ...201728237229
association between toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and memory function in nondemented older adults.toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) seropositivity may be associated with decreased memory in older adults. to further investigate the association between t. gondii seropositivity and memory in nondemented older adults, we obtained serum samples from 114 nondemented older adults evaluated by the alzheimer's disease and research center at washington university in st. louis, missouri, usa. we determined t. gondii seropositivity and anti-t. gondii igg antibody titer and examined associations with memory ...201728235681
the immune function of ly6chi inflammatory monocytes during infection and inflammation.monocytes originate from progenitors in bone marrow and circulate through blood vessels and patrol the vascular endothelium or differentiate into mononuclear phagocytes and infiltrate via the bloodstream to peripheral tissues during infection and other inflammatory conditions. recruitment of inflammatory monocytes is essential for effectively clearance of bacteria, control of toxoplasma gondii infections and limiting tissue damage. unexpectedly, ly6chiinflammatory monocytes acquire the inflammat ...201728231755
seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii infection in zoo and domestic animals in jiangxi province, china.toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that infects a wide range of warm-blooded animals throughout the world. in the present study, antibodies to t. gondii were determined using a commercial indirect hemagglutination (iha) test in wild animals in a zoo. three of 11 giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis) (27%), 1 of 5 wolves (canis lupus laniger) (20%), 1 of 6 hippopotamuses (hippopotamus amphibious) (17%), and 2 of 9 tundra swans (cygnus columbianus) (22%) were found to be positive. no a ...201728224883
curiosity killed the cat: no evidence of an association between cat ownership and psychotic symptoms at ages 13 and 18 years in a uk general population cohort.congenital or early life infection with toxoplasma gondii has been implicated in schizophrenia aetiology. childhood cat ownership has been hypothesized as an intermediary marker of t. gondii infection and, by proxy, as a risk factor for later psychosis. evidence supporting this hypothesis is, however, limited.201728222824
seroprevalence, isolation, genotyping, and pathogenicity of toxoplasma gondii strains from sheep in china.toxoplasma gondii is an important cause of reproductive failure in small ruminants that also poses a risk to consumers who consume undercooked meat. however, little is known about sheep toxoplasmosis in china for the world. therefore, this study was conducted to assess the prevalence of t. gondii infection in sheep from china, to isolate t. gondii via bioassay in mice and to evaluate the virulence of the isolated t. gondii based on vero cell invasion and mice. a total of 840 samples (304 unfroze ...201728217119
seroepidemiology and risk assessment of toxoplasma gondii infection in captive wild birds and mammals in two zoos in the north of portugal.toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan toxoplasma gondii, is one of the most widespread zoonoses in the world. it can affect most warm-blooded animals but only felids are its definitive hosts. we determined seroprevalence and associated risk factors in birds and mammals kept in two zoological parks in northern portugal. sera from 77 birds and 42 mammals were assayed for the presence of t. gondii antibodies by the modified agglutination test (mat, cut-off titre 20); 34.5% (41/119) were seropositi ...201728215867
t cell immunoregulation in active ocular toxoplasmosis.toxoplasma gondii infection is an important cause of infectious ocular disease. the physiopathology of retinochoroidal lesions associated with this infection is not completely understood. the present study was undertaken to investigate cytokine production by t cells from individuals with active toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (tr) comparing with controls. eighteen patients with active tr and 15 healthy controls (6 controls igg(+) to toxoplasma and 9 negative controls) were included in the study. p ...201728214536
erratum to "toxoplasma gondii immune mapped protein 1 is anchored to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and adopts a novel protein fold" [biochim. biophys. acta protein proteomics 1865/2 (2017) 208-219]. 201728212887
toxoplasma gondii survey in cats from two environments of the city of rio de janeiro, brazil by modified agglutination test on sera and filter-paper.toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan with a worldwide distribution, in warm-blood animals, including humans. local conditions and environmental disturbances may influence transmission dynamics of a zoonotic agent. this study evaluates the epidemiology of t. gondii based on toxoplasmosis prevalence in two populations of cats living in distinct urbanization conditions in rio de janeiro, brazil.201728212681
direct measurement of cortical force generation and polarization in a living parasite.apicomplexa is a large phylum of intracellular parasites that are notable for the diseases they cause, including toxoplasmosis, malaria and cryptosporidiosis. a conserved motile system is critical to their lifecycles as it drives directional gliding motility between cells, as well as invasion of and egress from host cells. however, our understanding of this system is limited by a lack of measurements of the forces driving parasite motion. we used a laser trap to measure the function of the motil ...201728209732
impact of apoe genotypes variations on toxoplasma patients with dementia.toxoplasma deprives host neuron cells from cholesterol and leads to its ability to potentiate dementia. apoe intermediates neuronal transmission of cholesterol, which is a key constituent for axonal development, redesigning occasions that are important for education and synaptic arrangement, development of memory and repair of neuron. the aim of this work is to investigate the effect of apoe genotypes on dementia associated with neurodegeneration in latent toxoplasma gondii in elderly population ...201728209315
occurrence of toxoplasma gondii in carcasses of pigs reared in intensive systems in northern italy.to evaluate the occurrence of toxoplasma gondii and to genetically characterize its isolates in carcasses of industrial fattening pigs, blood, diaphragm, and heart samples were collected from 375 carcasses of pigs slaughtered to be processed for parma ham production. pigs had been bred on approved farms (n = 75) located in the so-called food valley in italy. sera were examined for immunoglobulin g antibodies to t. gondii by modified agglutination test (mat). both heart and diaphragm samples from ...201728207292
mitochondrial behaviour throughout the lytic cycle of toxoplasma gondii.mitochondria distribution in cells controls cellular physiology in health and disease. here we describe the mitochondrial morphology and positioning found in the different stages of the lytic cycle of the eukaryotic single-cell parasite toxoplasma gondii. the lytic cycle, driven by the tachyzoite life stage, is responsible for acute toxoplasmosis. it is known that whilst inside a host cell the tachyzoite maintains its single mitochondrion at its periphery. we found that upon parasite transition ...201728202940
toxoplasma gondii exposure and parkinson's disease: a case-control study.to determine the association between toxoplasma gondii infection and parkinson's disease and to investigate whether t. gondii seropositivity is associated with the general characteristics of patients with parkinson's disease.201728193849
genome-wide identification and evolutionary analysis of sarcocystis neurona protein kinases.the apicomplexan parasite sarcocystis neurona causes equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (epm), a degenerative neurological disease of horses. due to its host range expansion, s. neurona is an emerging threat that requires close monitoring. in apicomplexans, protein kinases (pks) have been implicated in a myriad of critical functions, such as host cell invasion, cell cycle progression and host immune response evasion. here, we used various bioinformatics methods to define the kinome of s. neurona ...201728335576
an icosahedral virus as a fluorescent calibration standard: a method for counting protein molecules in cells by fluorescence microscopy.the ability to replace genes coding for cellular proteins with dna that codes for fluorescent protein-tagged versions opens the way to counting the number of molecules of each protein component of macromolecular assemblies in vivo by measuring fluorescence microscopically. converting fluorescence to absolute numbers of molecules requires a fluorescent standard whose molecular composition is known precisely. in this report, the construction, properties and mode of using a set of fluorescence cali ...201728328099
development of crispr/cas9 for efficient genome editing in toxoplasma gondii.efficient and site-specific alteration of the genome is key to decoding and altering the genomic information of an organism. over the last couple of years, the rna-guided cas9 nucleases derived from the prokaryotic type 2 crispr (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) systems have drastically improved our ability to engineer the genomes of a variety of organisms including toxoplasma gondii. in this chapter, we describe detailed protocols for using the crispr/cas9 system adapt ...201727709570
a community-based survey of toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women in rural areas of taiz governorate, yemen: the risk of waterborne transmission.toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic coccidian parasite causing morbidity and mortality. in yemen, t. gondii infection has been reported among pregnant women seeking healthcare in the main cities. however, no data are available on the prevalence of t. gondii infection and its associated risk factors among pregnant women in the rural communities of the country. thus, the present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of t. gondii and identify its risk factors among pregnant women in the rural com ...201728190399
histone deacetylase inhibitor ms-275 augments expression of a subset of ifn-γ-regulated genes in toxoplasma gondii-infected macrophages but does not improve parasite control.toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous apicomplexan parasite of mammals and birds and an important pathogen of humans. ifn-γ is the major mediator of host resistance against t. gondii but intriguingly, parasite-infected host cells including macrophages are severely impaired to respond to ifn-γ due to defective transcriptional activation of target genes. here, we tested the possibility that the impaired responsiveness of t. gondii-infected macrophages to ifn-γ can be restored by inhibiting histone dea ...201728189488
cross-sectional study of toxoplasma gondii infection in pig farms in england.ingestion of undercooked meat has been proposed as an important source of human toxoplasma gondii infection. to ascertain the contribution of meat consumption to the risk of human infection, estimates of the prevalence of infection in meat-producing animals are required. a cross-sectional study was conducted to assess t. gondii infection in pigs raised in england, to identify risk factors for infection, and to compare performance of two serological tests: modified agglutination test (mat) and en ...201728186826
evaluation of the immune response in balb/c mice induced by a novel dna vaccine expressing gra14 against toxoplasma gondii.toxoplasma gondii can cause severe and even fatal disease in human beings and animals. effective vaccines may contribute to control toxoplasmosis. gra14, a novel secreted dense granule protein of t. gondii, has been proposed as a vaccine candidate due to its intervacuolar transport and unique topology in the parasitophorous vacuole membrane. in this study, we constructed a dna vaccine encoding gra14 of t. gondii. balb/c mice were immunized intramuscularly three times at 2 week intervals and chal ...201728186325
predictors of toxoplasma gondii infection in czech and slovak populations: the possible role of cat-related injuries and risky sexual behavior in the parasite transmission.the protozoan toxoplasma gondii infects about one-third of the world's population. the consumption of raw meat, contact with cats, contact with soil, and ingestion of food or water contaminated with soil are considered to be the most important sources of infection. still in most women who were infected during pregnancy, no definitive source of infection is found. in 2014-2016, independent sources of t. gondii infection were searched for by gathering epidemiological data from 1865 (519 infected) ...201728183362
drugs in development for toxoplasmosis: advances, challenges, and current status.toxoplasma gondii causes fatal and debilitating brain and eye diseases. medicines that are currently used to treat toxoplasmosis commonly have toxic side effects and require prolonged courses that range from weeks to more than a year. the need for long treatment durations and the risk of relapsing disease are in part due to the lack of efficacy against t. gondii tissue cysts. the challenges for developing a more effective treatment for toxoplasmosis include decreasing toxicity, achieving therape ...201728182168
unconventional peptide presentation by major histocompatibility complex (mhc) class i allele hla-a*02:01: breaking confinement.peptide antigen presentation by major histocompatibility complex (mhc) class i proteins initiates cd8(+) t cell-mediated immunity against pathogens and cancers. mhc i molecules typically bind peptides with 9 amino acids in length with both ends tucked inside the major a and f binding pockets. it has been known for a while that longer peptides can also bind by either bulging out of the groove in the middle of the peptide or by binding in a zigzag fashion inside the groove. in a recent study, we i ...201728179428
development and validation of a real-time pcr assay for the detection of toxoplasma gondii dna in animal and meat samples.we report a rapid and reliable method for the detection of toxoplasma gondii in meat and animal tissues based on real-time polymerase chain reaction (pcr). samples were collected from cattle, small ruminants, horses, and pigs raised or imported into sicily, italy. all dna preparations were assayed by real-time pcr tests targeted to a 98-bp long fragment in the af 529-bp repeat element and to the b1 gene using specific primers. diagnostic sensitivity (100%), diagnostic specificity (100%), limit o ...201728176611
functional characterization of rhoptry kinome in the virulent toxoplasma gondii rh strain.toxoplasma gondii is an obligatory intracellular apicomplexan protozoan which can infect any warm-blooded animal and causes severe diseases in immunocompromised individuals or infants infected in utero. the survival and success of this parasite require that it colonizes the host cell, avoids host immune defenses, replicates within an appropriate niche, and exits the infected host cell to spread to neighboring non-infected cells. all of these processes depend on the parasite ability to synthesis ...201728174572
[toxoplasma gondii infection of eye: report of a case]. 201728173681
modulation of host immune responses to toxoplasma gondii by micrornas.to survive successfully, toxoplasma counteracts the strictly regulated host innate response to downregulate inflammation that could be deleterious for the parasite. micrornas are vital regulators of both innate and adaptive immunity, controlling the maintenance and development of immune progenitors as well as the differentiation and the functions of host mature immune cells. thus, the complexity of mechanisms underlying the connection between toxoplasma and host immunity has led to investigation ...201728170109
tgprelid, a mitochondrial protein linked to multidrug resistance in the parasite toxoplasma gondii.new drugs to control infection with the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii are needed as current treatments exert toxic side effects on patients. approaches to develop novel compounds for drug development include screening of compound libraries and targeted inhibition of essential cellular pathways. we identified two distinct compounds that display inhibitory activity against the parasite's replicative stage: f3215-0002, which we previously identified during a compound library screen, and i-be ...201728168222
toxoplasma gondii transmission by artificial insemination in sheep with experimentally contaminated frozen semen.toxoplasma gondii is a parasite considered one of the major causes of reproductive problems in sheep. furthermore, the presence of the agent in ram semen urges the possibility of sexual transmission in this species. the aim of this study was to evaluate if ram's frozen semen spiked with t. gondii tachyzoites would be able to cause infection in sheep by laparoscopic artificial insemination (ai). nine ewes tested seronegative to anti-t. gondii antibodies by the modified agglutination test (mat) we ...201728166964
toxoplasma gondii: laboratory maintenance and growth.toxoplasma gondii is a highly successful apicomplexan protozoan capable of infecting any warm-blooded animal worldwide. in humans, toxoplasma infections are life-long, with approximately one-third of the world's population chronically infected. although normally controlled by the host immune system, t. gondii infection can lead to a variety of clinical outcomes in individuals with immature or suppressed immune systems. after penetrating the intestine, parasites rapidly disseminate throughout the ...201728166387
a systematic review of in vitro and in vivo activities of anti-toxoplasma drugs and compounds (2006-2016).the currently available anti-toxoplasma agents have serious limitations. this systematic review was performed to evaluate drugs and new compounds used for the treatment of toxoplasmosis. data was systematically collected from published papers on the efficacy of drugs/compounds used against toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) globally during 2006-2016. the searched databases were pubmed, google scholar, science direct, isi web of science, ebsco, and scopus. one hundred and eighteen papers were eligible ...201728163699
prevalence and burden of toxoplasma gondii infection in hiv-infected people: a systematic review and meta-analysis.worldwide, 30% of the world's population have antibodies to the intracellular protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii and about 36·7 million people are infected with hiv, but little is known about the prevalence of co-infection with t gondii and hiv. we aimed to characterise the epidemiology and burden of t gondii co-infection in people with hiv infection.201728159548
toxoplasma gondii and hiv: a never-ending story. 201728159547
on the determination of toxoplasma gondii virulence in mice.toxoplasma gondii is one of the most successful pathogens on earth, capable of infecting an extremely broad range of mammals and birds and causing potentially fatal disease in humans. the house mouse (mus musculus) has been used as the primary laboratory animal model for determining the virulence of t. gondii strains. epidemiological evidence also suggests a potential association between virulence in mice and disease severity in human toxoplasmosis. however, many factors can affect virulence mea ...201728153801
seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii in hunted wild boars (sus scrofa) from southeastern france.toxoplasma gondii (nicolle et manceaux, 1908) is an obligate intracellular, parasitic protozoan within the phylum apicomplexa that causes toxoplasmosis in mammalian hosts (including humans) and birds. since meat of wild boar, sus scrofa (linnaeus), has been demonstrated to be a potential source of human infection, a careful evaluation of the prevalence of infection with t. gondii in hunted animals is needed to protect public health. in the var area in southeastern france, we performed a spatio-t ...201728148907
targeting toxoplasma gondii cpsf3 as a new approach to control toxoplasmosis.toxoplasma gondii is an important food and waterborne pathogen causing toxoplasmosis, a potentially severe disease in immunocompromised or congenitally infected humans. available therapeutic agents are limited by suboptimal efficacy and frequent side effects that can lead to treatment discontinuation. here we report that the benzoxaborole an3661 had potent in vitro activity against t. gondii parasites selected to be resistant to an3661 had mutations in tgcpsf3, which encodes a homologue of cleav ...201728148555
protective immunity against toxoplasmosis in mice induced by single-dose immunization with rsag1/2 protein released from poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microparticles.triphasic sustained release of tachyzoite chimeric protein, rsag1/2, from poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (plg)-encapsulated rsag1/2 (plg-rsag1/2) microparticles (mps) is a promising characteristic for developing a single-dose vaccine against toxoplasma gondii in domestic animals. in the present study, we aimed to evaluate whether single immunization with plg-rsag1/2 mps in balb/c mice would achieve effective immunity and protection against t. gondii. peritoneal immunization of mice with a single dos ...201728145222
comparative monomethylarginine proteomics suggests that protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (prmt1) is a significant contributor to arginine monomethylation in toxoplasma gondii.arginine methylation is a common posttranslational modification found on nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins that has roles in transcriptional regulation, rna metabolism and dna repair. the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii has a complex life cycle requiring transcriptional plasticity and has unique transcriptional regulatory pathways. arginine methylation may play an important part in transcriptional regulation and splicing biology in this organism. the t. gondii genome contains five putative p ...201728143887
molecular and virulence characterization of toxoplasma gondii strains isolated from humans in portugal.toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis which infects all warm-blooded vertebrates, including mammals and birds. the majority of studies conducted in europe have revealed that more than 80 % of strains isolated from human infections belong to genotype ii, whereas genotypes i and iii are responsible for a small number of cases. atypical and recombinant strains are generally associated with more severe infections. in portugal, there is a lack of data concerning ...201728138769
characterization of a nuclear pore protein sheds light on the roles and composition of the toxoplasma gondii nuclear pore complex.the nuclear pore is a key structure in eukaryotes regulating nuclear-cytoplasmic transport as well as a wide range of cellular processes. here, we report the characterization of the first toxoplasma gondii nuclear pore protein, named tgnup302, which appears to be the orthologue of the mammalian nup98-96 protein. we produced a conditional knock-down mutant that expresses tgnup302 under the control of an inducible tetracycline-regulated promoter. under atc treatment, a substantial decrease of tgnu ...201728138739
estimating burdens of neglected tropical zoonotic diseases on islands with introduced mammals.many neglected tropical zoonotic diseases are maintained by introduced mammals, and on islands the most common introduced species are rodents, cats, and dogs. management of introduced mammals, including control or eradication of feral populations, which is frequently done for ecological restoration, could also reduce or eliminate the diseases these animals carry. understanding the burden of these zoonotic diseases is crucial for quantifying the potential public health benefits of introduced mamm ...201728138052
involvement of host defense mechanisms against toxoplasma gondii infection in anhedonic and despair-like behaviors in mice.toxoplasma gondii is a pathogen relevant to psychiatric disorders. we recently showed that reactivation of chronic t. gondii infection induced depression-like behaviors in mice. furthermore, it has been hypothesized that depression-like behaviors are mediated via a host defense mechanism against invading pathogens; proximate mechanisms of this behavioral hypothesis remain unclear. in the present study, we investigate the contribution of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (ido), inflammation, and interf ...201728138019
high seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii in elk (cervus canadensis) of the central appalachians, usa.toxoplasma gondii is an important protozoan parasite of mammals that impacts animal health and behavior. although this parasite has been documented in several cervid species, including red deer (cervus elaphus) in europe, little is known about t. gondii impacts on the closely related north american counterpart, the elk (wapiti, cervus canadensis), which has increased in number and expanded in range during the past century. we assessed seroprevalence of t. gondii antibodies using a modified agglu ...201728130658
detection of toxoplasma gondii in faeces of privately owned cats using two pcr assays targeting the b1 gene and the 529-bp repetitive element.toxoplasma gondii infection is a worldwide parasitic zoonosis with a high-health risk for humans. the key epidemiological role played by felids is related to oocyst shedding. the present study compared two amplification protocols for the molecular diagnosis of toxoplasma infection in owned cats. a total of 78 owned cats referred to an italian university-teaching hospital and exposed to various t. gondii-associated risk factors were sampled for blood and faeces. faecal specimens were processed by ...201728127718
dna amplification techniques for the detection of toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts in meat producing animals: a narrative review article.toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite, which infects one-third population of world. humans and animals acquire infection by ingesting oocytes from feces of cats or by meat of other animals having cysts that may lead to congenital, ocular or cephalic toxoplasmosis. either it is important to detect t. gondii from meat of food animals from retail shops or directly at slaughterhouses, which is meant for export.201728127354
genotyping of toxoplasma gondii strains isolated from patients with ocular toxoplasmosis in iran.toxoplasma gondii is an obligate, intracellular protozoon that develops its sexual stage in cat's intestinal epithelial cells as definitive host and develops its asexual stage in different tissues of a wide range hosts called intermediate host. the protozoon is a food-borne and worldwide parasite that can cause serious complications such as abortion in pregnant women, encephalitis, and ocular toxoplasmosis. the present study aimed to genotype t. gondii strains isolated from patients with toxopla ...201728127336
seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii and associated risk factors among hiv-infected women within reproductive age group at mizan aman general hospital, southwest ethiopia: a cross sectional study.toxoplasmosis is serious in the case of immune suppression and prenatal transmission. in immunocompromised hosts, it is manifested primarily as a life-threatening condition, toxoplasmic encephalitis. congenital toxoplasmosis results in abortion or congenitally acquired disorders which primarily affect the central nervous system. this study assessed seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) infection and associated factors among hiv-infected women within the reproductive age group (18-49 ye ...201728126016
corticosteroids as adjuvant therapy for ocular toxoplasmosis.ocular infection caused by toxoplasma gondii, a parasite, may result in inflammation in the retina, choroid, and uvea, and consequently lead to complications such as glaucoma, cataract, and posterior synechiae.201728125765
guanylate-binding protein 1 (gbp1) contributes to the immunity of human mesenchymal stromal cells against toxoplasma gondii.mesenchymal stromal cells (mscs) have recently been shown to play important roles in mammalian host defenses against intracellular pathogens, but the molecular mechanism still needs to be clarified. we confirmed that human mscs (hmscs) prestimulated with ifn-γ showed a significant and dose-dependent ability to inhibit the growth of two types of toxoplasma gondii [type i rh strain with green fluorescent proteins (rh/gfp) or type ii plk strain with red fluorescent proteins (plk/red)]. however, in ...201728123064
first isolation and rflp genotyping of toxoplasma gondii from crab-eating fox (cerdocyon thous-linnaeus, 1766).wild animals may play an important role in the transmission and maintenance of toxoplasma gondii in the environment. the purpose of the present study was to isolate and genotype t. gondii from a free-ranging crab-eating fox (cerdocyon thous-linnaeus, 1766). a crab-eating fox in critical health condition was attended in a veterinary hospital in recife, pernambuco state, brazil. the animal died despite emergency treatment. the brain was collected aseptically and destined for mouse bioassay. one is ...201728119049
genetic polymorphisms and phenotypic profiles of sulfadiazine-resistant and sensitive toxoplasma gondii isolates obtained from newborns with congenital toxoplasmosis in minas gerais, brazil.previous toxoplasma gondii studies revealed that mutations in the dhps (dihydropteroate synthase) gene are associated with resistance to sulfonamides. although brazilian strains are genotypically different, very limited data are available regarding the susceptibility of strains obtained from human to sulfonamides. the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sulfadiazine (sdz) against brazilian isolates of t. gondii and verify whether isolates present polymorphisms in the dhps gene. we ...201728118394
toxoplasma gondii induces autophagy and apoptosis in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells via downregulation of mcl-1.autophagy and apoptosis are critical for controlling toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) infection. t. gondii infection during pregnancy can damage the fetus and cause birth defects; however, the molecular mechanisms of this process are poorly understood. this study aims to determine the activities of autophagy and apoptosis as well as their regulatory mechanisms during t. gondii infection by using human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (huc-mscs) as a model of congenital diseases. lc3b, a hallma ...201728112581
seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii infection in feral cats in qatar.cats are essential in the life cycle of toxoplasma gondii as they can shed the environmentally resistant oocysts after acquiring infection. human populations living in cities with high densities of feral cats are therefore likely to be at risk of infection. the current study is the first to estimate the seroprevalence of t. gondii in the feral cat population in qatar. we investigated the seroprevalence of t. gondii among 495 adult cats from urban and suburban districts in qatar. using results fr ...201728100230
surface attachment, promoted by the actomyosin system of toxoplasma gondii is important for efficient gliding motility and invasion.apicomplexan parasites employ a unique form of movement, termed gliding motility, in order to invade the host cell. this movement depends on the parasite's actomyosin system, which is thought to generate the force during gliding. however, recent evidence questions the exact molecular role of this system, since mutants for core components of the gliding machinery, such as parasite actin or subunits of the myoa-motor complex (the glideosome), remain motile and invasive, albeit at significantly red ...201728100223
smite: an r/bioconductor package that identifies network modules by integrating genomic and epigenomic information.the molecular assays that test gene expression, transcriptional, and epigenetic regulation are increasingly diverse and numerous. the information generated by each type of assay individually gives an insight into the state of the cells tested. what should be possible is to add the information derived from separate, complementary assays to gain higher-confidence insights into cellular states. at present, the analysis of multi-dimensional, massive genome-wide data requires an initial pruning step ...201728100166
the effect of fluphenazine and thioridazine on toxoplasma gondii in vivo.toxoplasma gondii is the most common parasite causing latent cerebral infections in human. it has been shown that some anti-psychotic drugs are able to inhibit the proliferation of the parasite in in vitro study. there is very limited data regarding the inhibitory effect of anti-psychotics on toxoplasma in in vivo. in this study, we evaluated anti-toxoplasma activity of fluphenazine and thioridazine drugs on t. gondii in mice.201728096857
acetylcholinesterase inhibitor improves learning and memory impairment induced by toxoplasma gondii infection.here, we established the mouse models of chronic toxoplasmosis by t. gondii tehran strain to provide a good understanding about defining the possible association between t. gondii exposure and learning and memory impairments. moreover, as secondary objective of the present study, we hypothesized whether administration of an acetylcholinesterase (ache) inhibitor could reduce learning and memory impairments induced by t. gondii infection.201728096851
assessment of the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on toxoplasma gondii.the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (elf-emf) on toxoplasma gondii have not been explained yet. the aim of this study was to assess the possible effects of elf-emf on growth, survival time and viability of toxoplasma gondii. in addition, the life span of toxoplasma infected animals was investigated.201728096849
[intramedullary toxoplasmosis in hiv-tuberculosis co-infected patient].the most common clinical presentation of toxoplasma gondii in hiv patients is encephalitis; however, the intramedullary involvement has been reported in a few cases. we report a case of intramedullary toxoplasmosis in a female patient diagnosed with hiv/tuberculosis co-infection, and history of poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy. the patient developed subacute paraparesis with compromise of sensory function and urinary sphincter. the nuclear magnetic resonance evaluation showed a single in ...201728394986
cd11c-expressing cells affect regulatory t cell behavior in the meninges during central nervous system infection.regulatory t cells (tregs) play an important role in the cns during multiple infections, as well as autoimmune inflammation, but the behavior of this cell type in the cns has not been explored. in mice, infection with toxoplasma gondii leads to a th1-polarized parasite-specific effector t cell response in the brain. similarly, tregs in the cns during t. gondii infection are th1 polarized, as exemplified by their t-bet, cxcr3, and ifn-γ expression. unlike effector cd4(+) t cells, an mhc class ii ...201728389591
toxoplasma gondii infection in farmed wild boars (sus scrofa) in three cities of northeast china.the apicomplexan protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii is a widely distributed etiological agent of foodborne illness. this parasite can cause production losses in livestock and serious disease in humans through consumption of contaminated meat. pig meat is the most likely source of human infection, and wild boars may play a role in the transmission of t. gondii by serving as a reservoir host. this study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of antibodies to t. gondii among farmed wild boars in ...201728387529
infection to pathogens with different transmission modes in feral cats from urban and rural areas of korea.in this study, we examine the prevalence of three infectious pathogens with different transmission modes (bartonella henselae, hemoplasma and toxoplasma gondii) in feral cats (felis catus) from two unique habitat types, urban and rural. we determined the infection status of three pathogens in blood samples (total n=117) through molecular or serological diagnostic methods. overall prevalence of hemoplasma, t. gondii and b. henselae was 47.9%, 50% and 35.7%, respectively. only seroprevalence of b. ...201728385003
toxoplasma gondii infection in patients with alzheimer's disease and healthy individuals: strange molecular results. 201728379631
characterization of the zoonotic potential of toxoplasma gondii in horses from rio de janeiro state.the aim of this study was to perform a survey on the prevalence of anti-toxoplasma gondii antibodies in horses from rio de janeiro state, brazil. from 2012 to 2013, a total of 624 blood samples were collected from horses from the eight regions comprising rio de janeiro state (baixadas litorâneas, serrana, norte fluminense, noroeste fluminense, centro-sul, metropolitana, médio paraíba, and costa verde). all sera samples were tested for anti-t. gondii antibodies by performing the modified agglutin ...201728377222
the first isolation and molecular characterization of toxoplasma gondii from horses in serbia.consumption of undercooked or insufficiently cured meat is a major risk factor for human infection with toxoplasma gondii. although horsemeat is typically consumed rare or undercooked, information on the risk of t. gondii from infected horse meat to humans is scarce. here, we present the results of a study to determine the presence of t. gondii infection in slaughter horses in serbia, and to attempt to isolate viable parasites.201728376902
genotyping of toxoplasma gondii strain directly from human csf samples of congenital toxoplasmosis clinical case.this report describes a case of congenital toxoplasmosis in a newborn in southern italy. a pregnant mother had been admitted at the 20th week of her pregnancy on account of pharyngodynia and laterocervical lymphadenopathy. although serological testing of the mother's serum documented a seroconversion with positive igg and igm anti-toxoplasma antibodies during ii trimester, the woman refused to perform prenatal diagnosis for congenital toxoplasmosis. fetal ultrasound scan already showed mild asym ...201728368078
vaccination with recombinant adenovirus expressing multi-stage antigens of toxoplasma gondii by the mucosal route induces higher systemic cellular and local mucosal immune responses than with other vaccination routes.toxoplasmosis caused by toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan, is a cause of congenital disease and abortion in humans and animals. various vaccination strategies against toxoplasmosis in rodent models have been used in the past few decades; however, effective vaccines remain a challenge. a recombinant adenovirus vaccine expressing ubiquitin-conjugated multi-stage antigen segments (ad-umas) derived from different life-cycle stages of t. gondii was constructed previously. here, w ...201728367800
from toxoplasmosis to schizophrenia via nmda dysfunction: peptide overlap between toxoplasma gondii and n-methyl-d-aspartate receptors as a potential mechanistic link.the present work aims at investigating how toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) infection may be linked to n-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (nmdar) dysfunction in schizophrenia and related disorders and puts forward the hypothesis that immune responses against t. gondii may involve nmdars. indeed, the analysis of the protozoan proteome and nmdar subunits for peptide commonalities shows a massive peptide overlap and supports the possibility that anti-t. gondii immune responses raised during active protozoa ...201728360866
neglected risk factors for hiv and toxoplasma gondii co-infection - authors' reply. 201728359448
neglected risk factors for hiv and toxoplasma gondii co-infection. 201728359447
neglected risk factors for hiv and toxoplasma gondii co-infection. 201728359446
alzheimer's disease and toxoplasma gondii infection; seromolecular assess the possible link among patients. 201728093864
long-term sera storage does not significantly modify the interpretation of toxoplasmosis serologies.serological investigation of toxoplasma gondii can answer many questions about toxoplasmosis in human pathology. along these lines, studies on serum storage in biobanks need to be performed especially in terms of determining the impact of storage on relevance of sera analysis after freezing. this study assessed the impact of long-term sera storage on the stability of anti-toxoplasma immunoglobulins.201728093212
ccaat/enhancer-binding protein β mediates the killing of toxoplasma gondii by inducing autophagy in nonhematopoietic cells.autophagy is a main defense strategy by which infected host cells can virtually induce the killing of parasite, including toxoplasma gondii. however, the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy in t. gondii-infected nonhematopoietic cells are still unknown. emerging evidence indicates that ccaat/enhancer-binding protein β (c/ebp β) is associated with the regulation of autophagy. herein, we hypothesized that c/ebp β plays roles in inducing autophagy in nonhematopoietic cells. expression of c/ebp β was ...201728092463
hepatic xanthine oxidase activity and purine nucleosides levels as physiological mediators to analyze a subcutaneous treatment with (phse)2 in mice infected by toxoplasma gondii.the aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of purine nucleosides and xanthine oxidase (xo) activity in the liver of mice chronically infected by toxoplasma gondii and treated with diphenyl diselenide (phse)2. for this experiment, forty swiss mice were used. twenty animals were orally infected by approximately 50 bradizoites of a cystogenic me-49 strain of t. gondii, and the same number of uninfected mice was used as a control group. ten infected and ten uninfected mice were subcutaneously ...201728089947
a human proteome array approach to identifying key host proteins targeted by toxoplasma kinase rop18.toxoplasma kinase rop18 is a key molecule responsible for the virulence of toxoplasma gondii; however, the mechanisms by which rop18 exerts parasite virulence via interaction with host proteins remain limited to a small number of identified substrates. to identify a broader array of rop18 substrates, we successfully purified bioactive mature rop18 and used it to probe a human proteome array. sixty eight new putative host targets were identified. functional annotation analysis suggested that thes ...201728087594
a systematic review and meta-analysis of the seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii in cats in mainland china.toxoplasmosis is caused by toxoplasma gondii which can infect all warm-blooded animals. as the most common feline definitive host, cats play a vital role in the transmission of t. gondii. however, national estimates of the seroprevalence of t. gondii in cats in mainland china are lacking, and therefore a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to provide insight into national environmental transmission levels and potential transmission to humans.201728086987
bromodomains in protozoan parasites: evolution, function, and opportunities for drug development.parasitic infections remain one of the most pressing global health concerns of our day, affecting billions of people and producing unsustainable economic burdens. the rise of drug-resistant parasites has created an urgent need to study their biology in hopes of uncovering new potential drug targets. it has been established that disrupting gene expression by interfering with lysine acetylation is detrimental to survival of apicomplexan (toxoplasma gondii and plasmodium spp.) and kinetoplastid (le ...201728077462
protection via a rom4 dna vaccine and peptide against toxoplasma gondii in balb/c mice.toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite with a broad host range including most warm-blooded animals, including humans. t. gondii surface antigen 1 (sag1) is a well-characterized t. gondii antigen. t. gondii expresses five nonmitochondrial rhomboid intramembrane proteases, tgrom1-5. tgrom4 is uniformly distributed on the surface of t. gondii and involved in regulating mic2, mic3, mic6, and ama1 during t. gondii invasion of host cells. bioinformatics have pred ...201728077075
is toxoplasma gondii a trigger of bipolar disorder?toxoplasma gondii, a ubiquitous intracellular parasite, has a strong tropism for the brain tissue, where it forms intracellular cysts within the neurons and glial cells, establishing a chronic infection. although latent toxoplasmosis is generally assumed to be asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, it is now clear that it can induce behavioral manipulations in mice and infected humans. moreover, a strong relation has emerged in recent years between toxoplasmosis and psychiatric disorders. ...201728075410
making home sweet and sturdy: toxoplasma gondii ppgalnac-ts glycosylate in hierarchical order and confer cyst wall rigidity.the protozoan intracellular parasite toxoplasma gondii forms latent cysts in the central nervous system (cns) and persists for the lifetime of the host. this cyst is cloaked with a glycosylated structure called the cyst wall. previously, we demonstrated that a mucin-like glycoprotein, cst1, localizes to the cyst wall and confers structural rigidity on brain cysts in a mucin-like domain-dependent manner. the mucin-like domain of cst1 is composed of 20 units of threonine-rich tandem repeats that a ...201728074022
inflammatory early events associated to the role of p2x7 receptor in acute murine toxoplasmosis.activation of the purinergic p2x7 receptor by extracellular atp (eatp) potentiates proinflammatory responses during infections by intracellular pathogens. extracellular atp triggers an antimicrobial response in macrophages infected with toxoplasma gondii in vitro, suggesting that purinergic signaling may stimulate host defense mechanisms against toxoplasmosis. here, we provide in vivo evidence in support of this hypothesis, by showing that p2x7(-/-) mice are more susceptible than p2x7(+/+) mice ...201728069296
antibody prevalence and risk factors for toxoplasma gondii infection in women from multan, pakistan.toxoplasma gondii infections are prevalent in humans and warm-blooded animals. maternal infections during pregnancy may have devastating consequences for transplacentally infected neonates. this study was conducted to examine the seroprevalence of antibodies to t. gondii in pregnant women of childbearing age and determine risk factors associated with pregnancy history, pet ownership, social and cultural factors at nishtar hospital, multan. samples were collected from 403 women and examined using ...201728067995
vaccination with toxofilin dna in combination with an alum-monophosphoryl lipid a mixed adjuvant induces significant protective immunity against toxoplasma gondii.a widely prevalent disease, toxoplasmosis poses serious health threats to both humans and animals; therefore, development of an ideal dna vaccine against toxoplasma gondii is needed eagerly. the purpose of the present study is to assess the protective efficacy of a dna vaccine encoding the t. gondii toxofilin gene (pegfp-toxofilin). in addition, toxofilin dna vaccine combined with the individual adjuvants, alum or monophosphoryl lipid a (mpla), or a mixture of alum-mpla adjuvant were screened fo ...201728056837
seroprevalence and determinants of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the university teaching hospital, lusaka, zambia.toxoplasmosis is a neglected zoonotic disease which is prevalent among pregnant women especially in africa. this study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and determinants of the disease among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the university teaching hospital (uth).201728056829
improvement and evaluation of loop-mediated isothermal amplification for rapid detection of toxoplasma gondii infection in human blood samples.loop-mediated isothermal amplification (lamp), an attractive dna amplification method, was developed as a valuable tool for the rapid detection of toxoplasma gondii. in this study, species-specific lamp primers were designed by targeting the af146527 sequence, which was a conserved sequence of 200- to 300-fold repetitive 529 bp fragment of t.gondii. lamp reaction system was optimized so that it could detect the minimal dna sample such as a single tachyzoite or 10 copies of recombinant plasmid. n ...201728056092
antiparasitic activity of sulfur- and fluorine-containing bisphosphonates against trypanosomatids and apicomplexan parasites.based on crystallographic data of the complexes 2-alkyl(amino)ethyl-1,1-bisphosphonates-trypanosoma cruzi farnesyl diphosphate synthase, some linear 1,1-bisphosphonic acids and other closely related derivatives were designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated against t. cruzi, the responsible agent of chagas disease and against toxoplasma gondii, the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis and also towards the target enzymes farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase of t. cruzi (tcfpps) and t gondii (tgfpps ...201728054995
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