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Transepithelial Migration by Toxoplasma

  • Chapter
Molecular Mechanisms of Parasite Invasion

Part of the book series: Subcellular Biochemistry ((SCBI,volume 47))

Abstract

A hallmark of T. gondii infections is passage of parasites across restrictive biological barriers—intestine, blood-brain barrier, blood-retina barrier and placenta—during primary infection or reactivation of chronic disease. Traversal of cellular barriers permits rapid dissemination of parasites to gain access to biologically restricted organs. This process involves active parasite motility and tighdy regulated interactions between host cell receptors and parasite adhesins that facilitate paracellular transfer. Mounting evidence also suggests that parasites use migrating leukocytes as Trojan horses to disseminate in the organism while avoiding immune attack. Thus, the interaction of Toxoplasma with biological barriers is a determinant factor of human toxoplasmosis. The elucidation of determinants involved in the process of migration may reveal virulence factors and novel therapeutic targets to combat disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Karolinska Institutet, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control and Center for Infectious Medicine, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden

    Antonio Barragan & Niclas Hitziger

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  1. Antonio Barragan
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  2. Niclas Hitziger
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Correspondence to Antonio Barragan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Barbara A. Burleigh PhD

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK

    Dominique Soldati-Favre PhD

  3. Département de Microbiologie et Medecine Moléculaire, Université de Genève, Geneve, Switzerland

    Dominique Soldati-Favre PhD

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Barragan, A., Hitziger, N. (2008). Transepithelial Migration by Toxoplasma . In: Burleigh, B.A., Soldati-Favre, D. (eds) Molecular Mechanisms of Parasite Invasion. Subcellular Biochemistry, vol 47. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-78267-6_16

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