1. Toxoplasma Effectors that Affect Pregnancy Outcome
- Author
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Arranz-Solís, David, Mukhopadhyay, Debanjan, and Saeij, Jeroen JP
- Subjects
Veterinary Sciences ,Agricultural ,Veterinary and Food Sciences ,Reproductive Medicine ,Biomedical and Clinical Sciences ,Biodefense ,Vaccine Related ,Infectious Diseases ,Prevention ,Emerging Infectious Diseases ,Foodborne Illness ,2.2 Factors relating to the physical environment ,2.1 Biological and endogenous factors ,Aetiology ,Infection ,Reproductive health and childbirth ,Inflammatory and immune system ,Good Health and Well Being ,Abortion ,Spontaneous ,Animals ,Female ,Host-Parasite Interactions ,Humans ,Placenta ,Pregnancy ,Pregnancy Outcome ,Protozoan Proteins ,Signal Transduction ,Toxoplasma ,GRA ,ROP ,gestation ,placenta ,Biological Sciences ,Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences ,Medical and Health Sciences ,Mycology & Parasitology ,Veterinary sciences ,Medical microbiology - Abstract
As an immune-privileged organ, the placenta can tolerate the introduction of antigens without inducing a strong inflammatory response that would lead to abortion. However, for the control of intracellular pathogens, a strong Th1 response characterized by the production of interferon-γ is needed. Thus, invasion of the placenta by intracellular parasites puts the maternal immune system in a quandary: The proinflammatory response needed to eliminate the pathogen can also lead to abortion. Toxoplasma is a highly successful parasite that causes lifelong chronic infections and is a major cause of abortions in humans and livestock. Here, we discuss how Toxoplasma strain type and parasite effectors influence host cell signaling pathways, and we speculate about how this might affect the outcome of gestation.
- Published
- 2021