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Review
. 2019 Apr 4:2019:6152489.
doi: 10.1155/2019/6152489. eCollection 2019.

Toxoplasma gondii Modulates the Host Cell Responses: An Overview of Apoptosis Pathways

Nour Mammari  1   2 , Mohamad Adnan Halabi  2   3 , Souha Yaacoub  2 , Hilda Chlala  2 , Marie-Laure Dardé  1   4 , Bertrand Courtioux  1
Affiliations
Review

Toxoplasma gondii Modulates the Host Cell Responses: An Overview of Apoptosis Pathways

Nour Mammari et al. Biomed Res Int. .

Abstract

Infection with Toxoplasma gondii has a major implication in public health. Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that can infect all nucleated cells belonging to a wide range of host species. One of the particularities of this parasite is its invasion and persistence in host cells of immunocompetent people. This infection is usually asymptomatic. In immunocompromised patients, the infection is severe and symptomatic. The mechanisms by which T. gondii persists are poorly studied in humans. In mouse models, many aspects of the interaction between the parasite and the host cells are being studied. Apoptosis is one of these mechanisms that could be modulated by Toxoplasma to persist in host cells. Indeed, Toxoplasma has often been implicated in the regulation of apoptosis and viability mechanisms in both human and murine infection models. Several of these studies centered on the regulation of apoptosis pathways have revealed interference of this parasite with host cell immunity, cell signalling, and invasion mechanisms. This review provides an overview of recent studies concerning the effect of Toxoplasma on different apoptotic pathways in infected host cells.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cyst of Toxoplasma gondii containing bradyzoites.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Toxoplasma gondii modulates mechanisms and signalling pathways of apoptosis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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