How a parasite rewires immune cells: new map could reshape infection treatment
Researchers mapped how Toxoplasma parasites hijack and disable immune cells at the single-cell level, revealing that different parasite strains manipulate host defenses in distinct ways. The discovery identifies potential drug targets and suggests why infections vary so widely between patients—knowledge that could transform how we treat parasitic diseases affecting millions globally.
Originaltitel: scDual-Seq of <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em>-infected mouse BMDCs reveals heterogeneity and differential infection dynamics
<p>Dendritic cells and macrophages are integral parts of the innate immune system and gatekeepers against infection. The protozoan pathogen, <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em>, is known to hijack host immune cells and modulate their immune response, making it a compelling model to study host-pathogen interactions. Here we utilize single cell Dual RNA-seq to parse out heterogeneous transcription of mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) infected with two distinct genotypes of <em>T. gondii</em> parasites, over multiple time points post infection. We show that the BMDCs elicit differential responses towards <em>T. gondii</em> infection and that the two parasite lineages distinctly manipulate subpopulations of infected BMDCs. Co-expression networks define host and parasite genes, with implications for modulation of host immunity. Integrative analysis validates previously established immune pathways and additionally, suggests novel candidate genes involved in host-pathogen interactions. Altogether, this study provides a comprehensive resource for characterizing host-pathogen interplay at high-resolution.</p>