A5074790060- Toxoplasma gondii Research Studies
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Autophagy in Disease and Therapy
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- Malaria Research and Control
- Rabies epidemiology and control
- Heme Oxygenase-1 and Carbon Monoxide
- Venomous Animal Envenomation and Studies
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Trypanosoma species research and implications
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Polyamine Metabolism and Applications
- Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Synthesis and Biological Evaluation
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Complement system in diseases
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
Hokkaido University
2021-2025
Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
2013-2024
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
2016-2021
Medical & Biological Laboratories (Japan)
2019-2020
The University of Tokyo
2009-2017
Tokyo University of Agriculture
2011
Toxoplasma gondii is a highly prevalent parasite worldwide that presents life-threatening risks to immunocompromised and pregnant individuals. Whereas the life stage responsible for acute infection can be treated, chronic refractory currently available therapeutics. Little known about protein composition of cyst wall, an amorphous structure formed by parasites suspected facilitate persistence within muscle nervous tissue during (latent) infection. By implementing refined approach selectively...
Microsporidia have been identified as pathogens that important effects on our health, food security and economy. A key to the success of these obligate intracellular is their unique invasion organelle, polar tube, which delivers nucleus containing sporoplasm into host cells during invasion. Due size rapidity tube discharge passage, absence genetic techniques for manipulation microsporidia, study this organelle has difficult there relatively little known regarding formation function proteins...
This study evaluated the anti-Toxoplasma gondii potential of gold, silver, and platinum nanoparticles (NPs). Inorganic NPs (0.01-1,000 µg/mL) were screened for antiparasitic activity. The caused >90% inhibition T. growth with EC50 values ≤7, ≤1, ≤100 µg/mL NPs, respectively. showed no host cell cytotoxicity at effective anti-T. concentrations; estimated selectivity index revealed a ≥20-fold activity toward parasite versus cell. which may be linked to redox signaling, affected mitochondrial...
ABSTRACT Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite that infects warm-blooded vertebrates, including humans. Asexual reproduction in T. allows it to switch between the rapidly replicating tachyzoite and quiescent bradyzoite life cycle stages. A transient cyclic AMP (cAMP) pulse promotes differentiation, whereas a prolonged elevation of cAMP inhibits this process. We investigated mechanism(s) by which differential modulation exerts bidirectional effect on...
The protozoan intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii forms latent cysts in the central nervous system (CNS) and persists for lifetime of host. This cyst is cloaked with a glycosylated structure called wall. Previously, we demonstrated that mucin-like glycoprotein, CST1, localizes to wall confers structural rigidity on brain domain-dependent manner. domain CST1 composed 20 units threonine-rich tandem repeats are O-GalNAc glycosylated. A family enzymes termed polypeptide...
Drug treatment for toxoplasmosis is problematic, because current drugs cannot eradicate latent infection with Toxoplasma gondii and can cause bone marrow toxicity. Because remains after treatment, relapse of a problem in both infections immunocompromised patients congenitally infected patients. To identify lead compounds novel against gondii, we screened chemical compound library anti-Toxoplasma activity, host cell cytotoxicity, effect on bradyzoites. Of 878 screened, 83 demonstrated >90%...
ABSTRACT In immunocompromised hosts, latent infection with Toxoplasma gondii can reactivate from tissue cysts, leading to encephalitis. A characteristic of T. bradyzoites in cysts is the presence amylopectin granules. The regulatory mechanisms and role accumulation this organism are not fully understood. genome encodes a putative glycogen phosphorylase (TgGP), mutants were constructed manipulate activity TgGP evaluate function storage. Both stop codon mutant (Pru/TgGP S25stop [expressing...
A model of the cyst wall interactome was constructed using proteins identified through BioID. The within this encompass several in a prior characterization proteome. This provides more comprehensive understanding composition and may lead to insights on how is formed.
ABSTRACT Toxoplasma gondii CDPK1 (TgCDPK1) was found to be the target of toxoplasmocidal compound 1NM-PP1. When TgCDPK1 mutated at position 128 from glycine methionine, resistance gained. Inhibition gliding motility without inhibition micronemal secretion by 1NM-PP1 suggests a function for in motility.
Our studies on novel cyst wall proteins serendipitously led us to the discovery that and vacuolar matrix protein MAG1, first identified a quarter of century ago, functions as secreted immunomodulatory effector. MAG1 is dense granular found in parasitophorous tachyzoite vacuoles bradyzoite vacuoles. In current study, we demonstrated beyond vacuole into host cytosol both tachyzoites bradyzoites. Secretion gradually decreases matures, but prominent puncta are present inside cells even at 4 6...
Erythrocyte invasion is critical to the pathogenesis and survival of malarial parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. This process partly mediated by proteins that belong Duffy binding-like family, which are expressed on merozoite surface. One these proteins, BAEBL (also known as EBA-140), thought bind glycophorin C in a sialic acid-dependent manner. In this report, binding assay between recombinant protein enzyme-treated erythrocytes, we show erythrocytes primarily acid partially through heparan...
Background cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) has been implicated in the asexual stage of Toxoplasma gondii life cycle through assaying effect a PKA-specific inhibitor on its growth rate. Since inhibition host cell PKA cannot be ruled out, more precise evaluation role PKA, as well characterization itself, is necessary. Methodology/Principal Finding The inhibitory effects two inhibitors, H89, an ATP-competitive chemical inhibitor, and PKI, substrate-competitive mammalian natural peptide were...
Heparin, a sulfated glycoconjugate, reportedly inhibits the blood-stage growth of malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Elucidation inhibitory mechanism is valuable for developing novel invasion-blocking treatments based on heparin. Merozoite surface protein 1 has been reported as candidate target heparin; however, to better understand molecular mechanisms involved, we characterized molecules that bind heparin during merozoite invasion. Here, show binds only at apical tip and multiple...
Pulmonary infection with SARS-CoV-2 stimulates host immune responses and can also result in the progression of dysregulated critical inflammation. Throughout pandemic, management treatment COVID-19 has been continuously updated a range antiviral drugs immunomodulators. Monotherapy oral antivirals proven to be effective COVID-19. However, should initiated early stages ensure beneficial therapeutic outcomes, there is still room for further consideration on strategies using antivirals.
Canine demodicosis is a contagious skin disease caused by the over-proliferation of Demodex mites in host’s hair follicles. This study examines prevalence, clinical signs, and hematological changes associated with street dogs Rupandehi, Nepal. Between August 2023 January 2024, 100 scrapings were collected from each dog presenting dermatological symptoms. The samples, treated 10% KOH microscopically examined, revealed 21% positivity rate for demodicosis, all cases involving canis. infection...
Here, we assessed the sulfated derivative of microbial polysaccharide gellan gum and derivatives λ κ-carrageenans for their ability to inhibit Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 Dd2 growth invasion red blood cells in vitro. Growth inhibition was by means flow cytometry after a 96-h exposure inhibitors counting ring parasites 20-h them. Gellan sulfate strongly inhibited modestly both P. Dd2; inhibitory effects exceeded those achieved with native gum. The hydrolyzed λ-carrageenan oversulfated...
Toxoplasma rhoptry neck protein 4 (TgRON4) is a component of the moving junction macromolecular complex that plays central role during invasion. TgRON4 exposed on cytosolic side host cell invasion, but its molecular interactions remain unclear. Here, we identified cellular β-tubulin as binding partner TgRON4, not Plasmodium RON4. Coimmunoprecipitation studies in mammalian cells demonstrated C-terminal 15-kDa region was sufficient for to and 17-kDa proximal C-terminus required β-tubulin....
Toxoplasma gondii is an important food and waterborne pathogen that causes severe disease in immunocompromised patients. Bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs) have antiparasitic effect on T. tachyzoite growth by targeting calmodulin-domain protein 1 (TgCDPK1). To identify mutations confer resistance to BKIs, chemical mutagenesis was performed, followed selection media containing either 250 or 1000 nM 1NM-PP1. Whole-genome sequence analysis of resistant clones revealed single nucleotide...
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that invades nucleated cells, causing toxoplasmosis in humans and animals worldwide. The extremely wide range of hosts susceptible to T. thought be the result interactions between ligands receptors on its target cells. In this study, a host cell-binding protein from was characterized, one identified. P104 (GenBank Access. No. CAJ20677) 991 amino acids length, containing putative 26 acid signal peptide 10 PAN/apple domains, shows low homology...
Toxoplasma gondii is the causative pathogen for Toxoplasmosis. Bumped kinase inhibitor 1NM-PP1 inhibits growth of T. by targeting TgCDPK1. However, we recently reported that resistance to can be acquired via a mutation in mitogen-activated protein like 1 (TgMAPKL-1). Further characterization how this TgMAPKL-1 restores inhibitory effect would shed further light on function parasite life cycle. Therefore, made clones with mutated at gatekeeper residue Ser 191, which critical susceptibility....
Toxoplasma , an important intracellular parasite of humans and animals, causes life-threatening toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised individuals. Although secretory proteins during acute infection (tachyzoite, which divides rapidly inflammation) have been extensively characterized, those involved chronic (bradyzoite, slowly is surrounded by a cyst wall) remain uncertain. Regulation the wall essential to life cycle, polysaccharides, such as chitin, are necessary sustain latent infection....