Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate protozoan parasite that naturally infects all mammals, where it alters the host environment to establish chronic infection. Wang and colleagues uncover a new role for the T. gondii protein GRA15 in inducing an anti-parasite response via the interferon stimulator STING. This parasite-driven host defense limits Toxoplasma replication while maintaining host survival, creating an ideal niche for the establishment of latency.
Highlights
An estimated one-third of the global population is infected with Toxoplasma gondii
Suspecting that cGMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) might play a role in eliciting an antiT. gondii response, Wang et al decided to examine cGAS-deficient mice infected with T. gondii
To test what was happening downstream of cGAS, Wang et al examined whether deletions of STING, which is activated by the secondary messenger synthesized by cGAS, impacted mouse biology
Summary
An estimated one-third of the global population is infected with Toxoplasma gondii. infection is often asymptomatic in healthy individuals, there is no vaccine, and the available treatment options are poorly tolerated, meaning that toxoplasmosis in immunosuppressed individuals can be potentially fatal. Gondii response, Wang et al decided to examine cGAS-deficient mice infected with T. gondii. The authors observed that the loss of cGAS resulted in significant animal deaths compared with WT mice. To test what was happening downstream of cGAS, Wang et al examined whether deletions of STING, which is activated by the secondary messenger synthesized by cGAS, impacted mouse biology.
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