Metabolic, immune, epigenetic, endocrine and phenotypic abnormalities found in individuals with autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome and Alzheimer disease may be caused by congenital and/or acquired chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis

Prandota, Joseph

doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2010.03.009

Cited by 32 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 568 publications

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“…Masur et al [748] observed that even therapeutic concentrations of hydrocortisone rendered normal macrophages unresponsive to IFN-γ in Alzheimer's disease [720][721][722] . These findings are compatible with our earlier suggestions that latent chronic T. gondii infection may be at least in part responsible for the generation of amyloid plaques characteristic for the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and Down's syndrome [222,223] . In summary, infection of host vascular endothelial cells by T. gondii tachyzoites may become an additional source of cysteine cathepsin activities that are superimposing on the activity of similar enzymes physiopathologically present in the host cells, because the parasite's tachyzoites, bradyzoites, and sporozoites express several members of these proteases.…”

Section: T Gondii Infectionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…These cytoprotective actions may at least partly explain H 2 S beneficial effects in slowing down progression of experimental Alzheimer's disease [219] , as well as improving health in major cardiovascular diseases [220] . It was recently suggested that atherosclerosis and Alzheimer are diseases with a common cause [221] , and it seems that chronic T. gondii infection may be at least in part responsible for this causal relationship [222,223] .…”

Section: Important Role Of Acat1 In Foam Cells Formation and Developmmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Possible Pivotal Role of Latent Chronic T. gondii Infection in the Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis

Prandota

2017

Journal of Cardiology and Therapy

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Section: T Gondii Infectionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Important Role Of Acat1 In Foam Cells Formation and Developmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Pivotal Role of Latent Chronic T. gondii Infection in the Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis

Prandota

2017

Journal of Cardiology and Therapy

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“…Given the pleiotropic effects of minocycline, it was suggested that the immunostimulatory effect on monocytes might counteract its beneficial properties in the treatment of several forms of chronic inflammation [697]. Several authors found a possible relationship between T. gondii infection and etiology of Parkinson's disease [698], schizophrenia [699,700], Alzheimer's disease [701], and obsessive-compulsive disorder [702], and minocycline was found to exert beneficial effects in the treatment of schizophrenia [703,704], as well as in patients with toxoplasmic encephalitis [705]. Thus, it seems that preventive effect of minocycline in the hypoglycemia-induced neuronal death was at least in part associated with its antiparasitic activity.…”

Section: T Gondii Infectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

T. gondii Infection Acquired during Pregnancy and/or after Birth may be Responsible for Development of both Type 1 and 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Pr¹,

ota²

2013

J Diabetes Metab

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Recently, it was suggested that maternal T and potentially B cells transferred during pregnancy and/or the breast milk feeding and their encounter with the antigen in mesenteric lymph nodes might play a role in development of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). T. gondii infection during gestation and/or after birth may be responsible for development of both T1DM and T2DM in children, adolescents and adults because: a) maternal microchimerism in peripheral blood was demonstrated to be significantly higher in patients with T1DM compared to unaffected siblings and healthy subjects, b) transmission of T. gondii as a Trojan horse in various types of eukaryotic cells, including T and B lymphocytes, c) swallowing by the fetus of amniotic fluid containing infected leukocytes and other cells, d) elimination of T. gondii in the breast milk during lactation, e) involvement of mesenteric lymph nodes after oral infection with the parasite, and f) damage of the myenteric neurons during infection with the parasite in both the animals with streptozotocin-induced diabetes and diabetic patients. Moreover, a significantly lower occurrence of antibodies against T. gondii found in the sera of patients with T1DM compared with their first-degree family members or healthy controls may be due to their T and/or B cell exhaustion perspective caused by chronic infection with the parasite. This suggestion may be supported by the finding that latent toxoplasmosis was associated with markedly reduced lymphocyte B-cell counts responsible for production of antibodies, markedly lower serum IgG, IgM, and IgA levels, and a significant suppression of IL-2. On the other hand, patients with T2DM had increased anti-T. gondii antibodies significantly more frequently than respective controls. Impaired vascular endothelial function characteristic for the patients with diabetes mellitus may be at least in part due to the preferential T. gondii infection of endothelial cells. Vitamin D and minocycline exerted beneficial effects on development and clinical course of diabetes mellitus probably because of their immunomodulatory and antitoxoplasmatic activities. These data strongly suggest that the parasite play an important role in development of both types of diabetes mellitus.

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“…The congenital and/or acquired chronic latent cerebral toxoplasmosis play an important role in the development of some types of neurodegeneration, like Alzheimer disease and Down Syndrome [18].…”

Section: Research Journal Of Infectious Diseases Issn 2052-5958mentioning

confidence: 99%

Relevant aspects of human toxoplasmosis

Bresciani¹,

Galvão²,

Vasconcellos³

et al. 2013

Res J Infect Dis

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Considering the great importance that the infection by Toxoplasma gondii has in public health, the aim of this article was to demonstrate some aspects about this disease in human being. This parasite can cause several behavioral changes and many cases of reactivation of this disease are associated with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome -AIDS. Major cases of human infections by T. gondii are assymptomatic and the main clinical manifestation in the acute phase of this zoonosis is lymphadenopathy, usually in the cervical area. There may also be fever, night sweats, myalgia, maculopapular rash lymphocytic atypia and chorioretinitis. The congenital and/or acquired chronic latent cerebral toxoplasmosis play an important role in the development of some types of neurodegeneration, like Alzheimer disease and Down Syndrome. Humans and animals should not consume raw or undercooked meat, unpasteurized or not boiled dairy products, water without being treated and poorly washed fruits and vegetables. Educational programs focused on reducing T. gondii environmental contamination are essential for the congenital infection control. Due to the severity of this kind of infection and its sequel, it is critical that those responsible for the community's health establish prevention programs to avoid such a situation, obtaining results in the medium and long term, and particularly preserving the involved population's welfare. A lack or incomplete prenatal treatment was identified as an important risk factor for congenital toxoplasmosis, reinforcing the need of improvement of prenatal care. In this study was demonstrated the importance of implementing prevention programs to guide pregnant women to prevent the infection. Preventive measures like information and health education; screening of pregnant women and infants; limiting harm from risk behaviour; treatment of risk cases and vaccination are recommended. Serum monitoring throughout pregnancy, so as detect cases of maternal seroconversion allowing for early maternal treatment is also basic. Some countries have adopted control programs of human toxoplasmosis, however, this issue should be of world attention, considering its relevant aspects of public health, requiring the establishment of community education campaigns and monitoring of pregnant women in the pre and neonatal, especially in a preventive action to reduce the pathogenic effects of this disease.

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Metabolic, immune, epigenetic, endocrine and phenotypic abnormalities found in individuals with autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome and Alzheimer disease may be caused by congenital and/or acquired chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis

Cited by 32 publications

References 568 publications

Possible Pivotal Role of Latent Chronic T. gondii Infection in the Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis

Possible Pivotal Role of Latent Chronic T. gondii Infection in the Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis

T. gondii Infection Acquired during Pregnancy and/or after Birth may be Responsible for Development of both Type 1 and 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Relevant aspects of human toxoplasmosis

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