The Bradyzoite: A Key Developmental Stage for the Persistence and Pathogenesis of Toxoplasmosis

• Published in: Pathogens (Basel) Vol. 9; no. 3; p. 234
• Main Authors: Cerutti, Aude, Blanchard, Nicolas, Besteiro, Sébastien
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 21.03.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: bradyzoite; chronic toxoplasmosis; Cysts; differentiation; Gene expression; Human populations; Immune system; Immunocompromised hosts; Infections; latency; Life Sciences; Metabolism; Microbiology and Parasitology; Parasites; Pathogenesis; Pathology; persistence; Predation; Proteins; Review; toxoplasma gondii; Toxoplasmosis; Transcription factors; bradyzoite; Toxoplasma gondii; differentiation; latency; persistence; metabolism; chronic toxoplasmosis
• ISSN: 2076-0817; 2076-0817
• DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9030234

is a ubiquitous parasitic protist found in a wide variety of hosts, including a large proportion of the human population. Beyond an acute phase which is generally self-limited in immunocompetent individuals, the ability of the parasite to persist as a dormant stage, called bradyzoite, is an important aspect of toxoplasmosis. Not only is this stage not eliminated by current treatments, but it can also reactivate in immunocompromised hosts, leading to a potentially fatal outcome. Yet, despite its critical role in the pathology, the bradyzoite stage is relatively understudied. One main explanation is that it is a considerably challenging model, which essentially has to be derived from in vivo sources. However, recent progress on genetic manipulation and in vitro differentiation models now offers interesting perspectives for tackling key biological questions related to this particularly important developmental stage.