title: Induction of Autophagy interferes the tachyzoite to bradyzoite transformation of Toxoplasma gondii.
abstract: Autophagy process in Toxoplasma gondii plays a vital role in regulating parasite survival or death. Thus, once having an understanding of certain effects of autophagy on the transformation of tachyzoite to bradyzoite this will allow us to elucidate the function of autophagy during parasite development. Herein, we used three TgAtg proteins involved in Atg8 conjugation system, TgAtg3, TgAtg7 and TgAtg8 to evaluate the autophagy level in tachyzoite and bradyzoite of Toxoplasma in vitro based on Pru TgAtg7-HA transgenic strains. We showed that both TgAtg3 and TgAtg8 were expressed at a significantly lower level in bradyzoites than in tachyzoites. Importantly, the number of parasites containing fluorescence-labelled TgAtg8 puncta was significantly reduced in bradyzoites than in tachyzoites, suggesting that autophagy is downregulated in Toxoplasma bradyzoite in vitro. Moreover, after treatment with drugs, bradyzoite-specific gene BAG1 levels decreased significantly in rapamycin-treated bradyzoites and increased significantly in 3-MA-treated bradyzoites in comparison with control bradyzoites, indicating that Toxoplasma autophagy is involved in the transformation of tachyzoite to bradyzoite in vitro. Together, it is suggested that autophagy may serve as a potential strategy to regulate the transformation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology,School of Basic Medical Sciences,Wenzhou Medical University,Wenzhou,Zhejiang 325035,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiangzhi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of the First Clinical Medical Sciences,Wenzhou Medical University,Wenzhou,Zhejiang 325035,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory,Dongyang People's Hospital,Jinhua,Zhejiang 322100,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qianqian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology,School of Basic Medical Sciences,Wenzhou Medical University,Wenzhou,Zhejiang 325035,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yujing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology,School of Basic Medical Sciences,Wenzhou Medical University,Wenzhou,Zhejiang 325035,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Laboratory Science and School of Life Science,Wenzhou Medical University,Wenzhou,Zhejiang 325035,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yangyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Laboratory Science and School of Life Science,Wenzhou Medical University,Wenzhou,Zhejiang 325035,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiaxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology,School of Basic Medical Sciences,Wenzhou Medical University,Wenzhou,Zhejiang 325035,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Changwang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Laboratory Science and School of Life Science,Wenzhou Medical University,Wenzhou,Zhejiang 325035,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology,School of Basic Medical Sciences,Wenzhou Medical University,Wenzhou,Zhejiang 325035,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology; D052816:Foreskin / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D030781:Organisms, Genetically Modified / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; C025946:3-methyladenine; D000225:Adenine; D020123:Sirolimus
keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; autophagy; bradyzoite; tachyzoite; transformation