Immune targeting and host-protective effects of the latent stage of Toxoplasma gondii

• DOI: 10.1038/s41564-025-01967-z
• Publication Date: 2025-03-27T10:12:41Z
• Authors: Julia N. Eberhard; Lindsey A. Shallberg; Aaron Winn; Sambamurthy Chand...; Christopher J. Gi...; Emily F. Merritt; Elinor Willis; Christoph Konradt; David A. Christian; Daniel L. Aldridge; Molly E. Bunkofske; Maxime Jacquet; Florence Dzierszi...; Eleni Katifori; Sebastian Lourido; Anita A. Koshy; Christopher A. Hu...
• Keywords: Toxoplasmosis

Latency is a microbial strategy for persistence. For Toxoplasma gondii the bradyzoite stage forms long-lived cysts critical transmission, and its presence in neurons considered important immune evasion. However, extent to which cyst formation escapes pressure mediates persistence remained unclear. Here we developed mathematical model highlighting that bradyzoite-directed immunity contributes control of numbers. In vivo studies demonstrated transgenic CD8+ T cells recognized cyst-derived antigen, neuronal STAT1 signalling promoted mice. Modelling experiments with parasites unable form bradyzoites (Δbfd1) revealed absence central nervous system did not prevent long-term but resulted increased tachyzoite replication associated tissue damage mortality. These findings suggest latent T. under pressure, mitigates infection-induced promotes survival host parasite. silico analyses numbers, mortality