Toxoplasma gondii is a foodborne parasite that infects approximately one-third of the world’s population. It still raises severe health concerns, particularly for individuals with compromised immune systems. At any given moment, approximately 40 million people in the US alone carry this stealthy pathogen that can lie dormant for decades. New studies from Rajshekhar Gaji’s lab are starting to fill in the picture, particularly unraveling key information about a conversion protein known as TgAP2X-7. This protein is central to the parasite’s survival and their work suggests promising opportunities for new treatments.
These studies are now ongoing to continue to figure out how TgAP2X-7 and other key proteins orchestrate the life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii. This research is especially important because the parasite can have dire effects if it reactivates inside the human body. Retreating to Gaji’s lab are further hints that continue to enrich and expand our knowledge of the parasite’s biological repertoire. Such discoveries are critical for the development of novel, targeted therapies to treat toxoplasmosis.
The Scope of Toxoplasma gondii Infection
With its stealthy and at times pernicious ways, Toxoplasma gondii has infected up to 2 billion people globally. Normal, healthy people can host the parasite without symptoms, sometimes remaining asymptomatic for 30 years or more. The risks become drastic for immune compromised members of our community.
When Toxoplasma gondii reactivates, it can cause significant neurological damage or death. Gaji stated, “The parasite that’s sitting in the brain gets reactivated, starts multiplying, and then it’s fatal.” This highlights the acute need for robust treatments to help control this common infection, which is widespread in our communities.
By Toxoplasmosis’ widespread prevalence, it is only a third-world country issue that has not been researched to find effective treatments. Gaji emphasized the need for further investigation and funding: “It is a significant parasite infection that needs a lot of research and financial investment.” The global market for proven, smart treatments is massive. It’s estimated that almost 30% of the global population is infected.
Unraveling TgAP2X-7’s Role
Rajshekhar Gaji’s lab delves further into the role TgAP2X-7. This cell cycle-regulated nuclear protein is essential for Toxoplasma gondii survival. Their research seeks to better understand the role this protein plays in the parasite’s capacity to flourish inside of its host.
Gaji’s team has singled out an entire family of understudied proteins known as TKL kinases, of which TgAP2X-7 is one of the first characterized. From left to right, the named eight molecular switches that are thought to orchestrate many of Toxoplasma gondii’s most vital functions. Gaji explained, “Ours is the only lab actively pursuing this family of kinases in Toxoplasma. This highly specialized focus has the potential to pave the way for transformational discoveries that can be directly translated into future treatment strategies.
What the research has shown thus far is that at least two of these proteins control important processes inside the parasite’s nucleus. By further understanding these mechanisms, Gaji’s team can hopefully begin to conceptualize cutting-edge therapeutic strategies.
The Path Forward for Treatment Development
The trip from very early stage research to actual new treatments can easily take ten years or more. Gaji’s work is giving them the valuable information they need to speed up this process. By understanding why certain amino acids in proteins like TgAP2X-7 bind to specific motifs in gene promoters, researchers can identify new targets for drug intervention.
Gaji remarked on the implications of their findings: “These parasites completely stop growing, and they cannot survive.” If further tests confirm this discovery, it could signal a breakthrough in the medical community’s strategy for treating toxoplasmosis.
As they move forward, Gaji’s lab will continue to explore the critical roles played by various proteins in Toxoplasma gondii’s life cycle. Their work will not only deepen our scientific understanding but result in novel therapies that stand to save millions of lives.