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Wang ZJ, Yu SM, Gao JM, Zhang P, Hide G, Yamamoto M, Lai DH, Lun ZR. High resistance to Toxoplasma gondii infection in inducible nitric oxide synthase knockout rats. iScience 2021; 24:103280. [PMID: 34765911 PMCID: PMC8571494 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is an important immune molecule that acts against extracellular and intracellular pathogens in most hosts. However, after the knockout of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS−/−) in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, these iNOS−/− rats were found to be completely resistant to Toxoplasma gondii infection. Once the iNOS−/− rat peritoneal macrophages (PMs) were infected with T. gondii, they produced high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggered by GRA43 secreted by T. gondii, which damaged the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and PM mitochondrial membranes within a few hours post-infection. Further evidence indicated that the high levels of ROS caused mitochondrial superoxide dismutase 2 depletion and induced PM pyroptosis and cell death. This discovery of complete resistance to T. gondii infection, in the iNOS−/−-SD rat, demonstrates a strong link between NO and ROS in immunity to T. gondii infection and showcases a potentially novel and effective backup innate immunity system. iNOS−/−-SD rats show strong resistance to Toxoplasma gondii infection iNOS−/−-SD rat PMs resist T. gondii infection through ROS upregulation The T. gondii infection results in PM pyroptosis in iNOS−/−-SD rats GRAs play a key role in the activation of resistance in iNOS−/−-SD rat PMs
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Jie Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, The People's Republic of China
| | - Shao-Meng Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, The People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang-Mei Gao
- Department of Parasitology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of the Ministry of Education, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, The People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, The People's Republic of China
| | - Geoff Hide
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
| | - Masahiro Yamamoto
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - De-Hua Lai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, The People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao-Rong Lun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, The People's Republic of China.,Department of Parasitology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of the Ministry of Education, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, The People's Republic of China.,Biomedical Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
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Camossi LG, Fornazari F, Richini-Pereira VB, da Silva RC, Cardia DFF, Langoni H. Immunization of Wistar female rats with 255-Gy-irradiated Toxoplasma gondii: preventing parasite load and maternofoetal transmission. Exp Parasitol 2014; 145:157-63. [PMID: 25169764 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2014.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2013] [Revised: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is an worldwide parasitic disease, with significant importance for animal production and considerable impact to the public health. This study was aimed to evaluate the dynamic of the distribution of T.gondii in tissues of female Wistar rats and their puppies tissues, after the immunization by oral rote with irradiated tachyzoites. One week after pregnancy confirmation, rats was challenged by gavage with T. gondii bradyzoites, oocysts or tachyzoites of T. gondii. Forty-eight pregnant rats were grouped as follow: immunized and challenged with bradyzoites (BZ*); non-immunized and challenged with bradyzoites (BZ); immunized and challenged with oocysts (OC*); non-immunized and challenged with oocysts (OC); immunized and challenged with tachyzoites (TZ*); non-immunized and challenged with tachyzoites (TZ); only immunized (I); control group (C). After parturition the rats were sacrificed and the tissues were researched for the DNA of T. gondii by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the parasite load determined by the quantitative PCR (qPCR). It was verified that the immunization with irradiated tachyzoites of T. gondii induced the reduction of parasitic load in most organs analyzed, although not prevent the establishment of infection with the parasite. And also, the immunization showed a favorable effect on the birth rate and litter size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucilene Granuzzio Camossi
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu, Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
| | - Felipe Fornazari
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu, Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Virgínia Bodelão Richini-Pereira
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu, Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Costa da Silva
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu, Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel Fontana Ferreira Cardia
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu, Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Helio Langoni
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu, Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
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Wang T, Gao JM, Yi SQ, Geng GQ, Gao XJ, Shen JL, Lu FL, Wen YZ, Hide G, Lun ZR. Toxoplasma gondii infection in the peritoneal macrophages of rats treated with glucocorticoids. Parasitol Res 2013; 113:351-8. [PMID: 24248630 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-013-3661-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2013] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
It is well known that toxoplasmosis can be life threatening to immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS and organ transplantation patients. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used in the clinic for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and organ transplantation resulting in acute toxoplasmosis in these patients. However, the interaction and mechanism between the development of acute toxoplasmosis and GC therapy are still unknown. The aims of this study were to investigate the infection of Toxoplasma gondii in the peritoneal macrophages of rats treated with glucocorticoids. Our results showed that the growth rate of T. gondii RH strain was significantly increased in the peritoneal macrophages of rats treated with glucocorticoids in vivo. For instance, 242 (±16) tachyzoites were found in 100 macrophages from the rats treated with methylprednisolone (MP), while only 16 (±4) tachyzoites were counted in the macrophages from the non-treated control rats 24 h after infection (P < 0.01). We also demonstrated that a significant inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production was detected in the macrophages collected from the rats post-treated with GCs with 12.90 μM (±0.99 μM) of nitrite production from the rats treated with MP, while 30.85 μM (±1.62 μM) was found in the non-treated control rats 36 h after incubation (P < 0.01). Furthermore, glucocorticoids could significantly inhibit the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA and its protein in the rat peritoneal macrophages. Our results strongly indicate that the decrease of NO in the rat peritoneal macrophages is closely linked to the cause of acute toxoplasmosis in the host. Additionally, there was a significant increase in the number of cysts produced by the naturally cyst forming, T. gondii Prugniaud strain with an average of 2,795 (±422) cysts of the parasite being detected in the brains of the rats treated with dexamethasone, while only 1,356 (±490) cysts were found in the non-treated control animals (P < 0.01). As rats and humans are both naturally resistant to T. gondii infection, these novel data could lead to a better understanding of the development of acute toxoplasmosis during glucocorticoid therapy in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Center for Parasitic Organisms, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of the Ministry of Education, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
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Lélu M, Langlais M, Poulle ML, Gilot-Fromont E, Gandon S. When should a trophically and vertically transmitted parasite manipulate its intermediate host? The case of Toxoplasma gondii. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20131143. [PMID: 23825211 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.1143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites with complex life cycles are expected to manipulate the behaviour of their intermediate hosts (IHs), which increase their predation rate and facilitate the transmission to definitive hosts (DHs). This ability, however, is a double-edged sword when the parasite can also be transmitted vertically in the IH. In this situation, as the manipulation of the IH behaviour increases the IH death rate, it conflicts with vertical transmission, which requires healthy and reproducing IHs. The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, a widespread pathogen, combines both trophic and vertical transmission strategies. Is parasite manipulation of host behaviour still adaptive in this situation? We model the evolution of the IH manipulation by T. gondii to study the conflict between these two routes of transmission under different epidemiological situations. Model outputs show that manipulation is particularly advantageous for virulent strains and in epidemic situations, and that different levels of manipulation may evolve depending on the sex of the IH and the transmission routes considered. These results may help to understand the variability of strain characteristics encountered for T. gondii and may extend to other trophically transmitted parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maud Lélu
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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Freyre A, Araujo FAP, Fialho CG, Bigatti LE, Falcón JD. Protection in a hamster model of congenital toxoplasmosis. Vet Parasitol 2011; 183:359-63. [PMID: 21846582 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2011] [Revised: 07/13/2011] [Accepted: 07/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Almost uniform protection against congenital toxoplasmosis initiated by inoculations with cysts and oocysts of the parasite was seen in the hamster model, among strains of different genotypes. Because the RH immunization prior to pregnancy has to be controlled with medication for most of the hamsters to survive, and also some congenital transmission of Toxoplasma was observed during the chronic stage of the infection, the hamster is considered less practical than the rat and the BALB/c mouse models. It is concluded that the hamster model closely resembles protection against congenital infection in nature, where most of the pregnant women and ewes that experienced a toxoplasma infection previously, protect their fetuses against an infection with the parasite during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Freyre
- Laboratorio de Toxoplasmosis, Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Freyre A, Fialho C, Bigatti L, Araujo F, Falcón J, Mendez J, González M. Toxoplasma gondii: Congenital transmission in a hamster model. Exp Parasitol 2009; 122:140-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2009.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2008] [Revised: 01/28/2009] [Accepted: 02/06/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Toxoplasma gondii: an improved rat model of congenital infection. Exp Parasitol 2008; 120:142-6. [PMID: 18634785 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2008.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2007] [Revised: 05/07/2008] [Accepted: 06/19/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to refine the rat model of congenital toxoplasmosis. In Fischer rats we found that visualization of spermatozoa in vaginal exudates and the detection of at least 6g body weight increase between days 9 and 12 of pregnancy, allowed the diagnosis and timing of pregnancy with 60% specificity and 84% sensitivity. A dose of 10(4) Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites or 10(2) T. gondii oocysts of the Prugniaud strain resulted in more than 50% of congenital infection of the rat litters. Transmission of T. gondii via lactation was not detected in rats inoculated with either bradyzoites or oocysts. Bioassays of 51 neonates born from mothers inoculated with bradyzoites (in tissue cysts) and 29 neonates from mothers inoculated with oocysts demonstrated that both liver and lungs can be used for the diagnosis of congenital transmission in this model.
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Toxoplasma gondii: Protection against colonization of the brain and muscles in a rat model. Exp Parasitol 2008; 119:252-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2008.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2007] [Revised: 01/24/2008] [Accepted: 02/12/2008] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Dabritz HA, Miller MA, Packham AE, Rejmanek D, Leutenegger CM, Gardner IA, Atwill ER, Conrad PA. EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION OF PEROMYSCUS CALIFORNICUS WITH TOXOPLASMA GONDII. J Parasitol 2007; 93:1360-4. [DOI: 10.1645/ge-1210.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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Dabritz HA, Gardner IA, Miller MA, Lappin MR, Atwill ER, Packham AE, Melli AC, Conrad PA. EVALUATION OF TWO TOXOPLASMA GONDII SEROLOGIC TESTS USED IN A SEROSURVEY OF DOMESTIC CATS IN CALIFORNIA. J Parasitol 2007; 93:806-16. [DOI: 10.1645/ge-996r.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
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Freyre A, Falcón J, Méndez J, Rodriguez A, Correa L, González M. Refinement of the mouse model of congenital toxoplasmosis. Exp Parasitol 2006; 113:154-60. [PMID: 16469312 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2005.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2005] [Revised: 12/27/2005] [Accepted: 12/28/2005] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The goals of the present investigation, focusing on the BALB/c mouse model of congenital toxoplasmosis, were: (1) to find a method to determine pregnancy in the mouse. The method has 100% sensitivity and 72% specificity; (2) to test congenital transmission during the chronic stage of toxoplasmosis. This occurred in 2 of 10 mice tested; (3) to investigate the relationship between the infective dose and the rate of congenital transmission. This was not demonstrated for doses of 10(2) to 10(3) bradyzoites and oocysts of Prugniaud, M3 and M7741 strains, with transmission rates of 3 of 8 to 6 of 10 mice inoculated; (4) to determine homologous and heterologous protection. Homologous protection was demonstrated with Prugniaud cysts, and heterologous protection was found between ME-49 and M3 cysts. This finding is consistent with the uniform natural protection against congenital toxoplasmosis seen in immune women and ewes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Freyre
- Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Department of Parasitology, College for Veterinary Sciences, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Freyre A, Falcón J, Méndez J, Rodriguez A, Correa L, Gonzalez M. Toxoplasma gondii: Partial cross-protection among several strains of the parasite against congenital transmission in a rat model. Exp Parasitol 2006; 112:8-12. [PMID: 16202411 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2005.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2005] [Revised: 08/12/2005] [Accepted: 08/19/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Rats were immunized with cysts of two Toxoplasma strains or with RH strain tachyzoites prior to pregnancy. The litters of the 13 rats that received homologous challenges with cysts during pregnancy, were all protected, whereas of 173 rats that received heterologous challenges with cysts or oocysts, only 21 protected their litters. 38.3 and 17% of rats immunized with the RH and with complete strains respectively, and 57% of control rats challenged with cysts, transmitted the infection congenitally. The percentages when similar groups were challenged with oocysts, were 33.3, 48.2, and 56.2%, respectively. Immunization with cysts did not completely protect against challenge with oocysts, even if the same strain was used. The divergence of these results from the complete protection against congenital toxoplasmosis observed in immune women and ewes, might be due to the use of excessive challenge doses in the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Freyre
- Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Department of Parasitology, College for Veterinary Sciences, Alberto Lasplaces 1550, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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